hee will die his faithfull servant But wee shall see him have more grace than to keepe so gracelesse a promise Carpi flattering himselfe with the fidelity and affection of his Laquay resolves to stay in the City but hee shall shortly repent his confidence Hee was formerly betrayed by Fiesco which mee thinks should have made him more cautious and wise and not so simple to entrust and repose his life on the incertaine mercy of Lorenzo's tongue but Gods Revenge drawes neare him and consequently he neare his end for he neither can nor shall avoid the judgement of Heaven Lorenzo on the gallowes will not charge his soule with this foule and execrable sinne of murther but Grace now operating with his soule as much as formerly Satan did with his heart hee confesseth that hee and the Baron of Carpi his Master together with the Knight Monte-leone and his Laquay Anselmo murthered the Captaine Benevente and his man Fiamento and threw them into the Quarrie the which hee takes to his death is true and so using some Christian-like speeches of repentance and sorrow he is hanged Lorenzo is no sooner turned over but the Criminall Iudges advertised of his speeches delivered at his death they command the Baron of Carpi his lodging to be beleagred where he is found in his study and so apprehended and committed prisoner where feare makes him looke pale so as the Peacocks plumes both of his pride and courage strike saile He is againe put to the Racke and now the second time hee reveales his foule and bloudy murther and in every point acknowledgeth Lorenzoes accusation of him to be true So he is condemned first to have his right hand cut off and then his head notwithstanding that many great friends of his sue to the Viceroy for his pardon The night before he was to die the next morne one of his Judges was sent to him to prison to perswade him to discover all his complices in that murther besides Monte-leone and his Laquay Anselmo yea there are likewise some Divines present who with many religious exhortations perswade him to it So Grace prevailes with Nature and Righteousnesse with Impiety and sinne in him that he is now no longer himselfe for contrition and repentance hath reformed him hee will rather disrespect Caelestina than displease God whereupon he affirmes that she and her deceased sister Fidelia drew him and Monte-leone to murther their father and his man Fiamento and that if it had not beene for their allurements and requests they had never attempted either the beginning or end of so bloudy a businesse and thus making himselfe ready for Heaven and grieving at nothing on Earth but at the remembrance of his foule fact he in the sight of many thousand people doth now lose his head This Tragedy is no sooner acted and finished in Naples but the Judges of this City send away poast to those of Otranto to seize on the Lady Caelestina who in the absence of her husband for the most part lived there A Lady whom I could pitie for her youth and beauty did not the foulenesse of her fact so foulely disparage and blemish it She is at that instant at a Noblemans house at the solemnitie of his daughters marriage where she is apprehended imprisoned and accused to bee the authour and plotter of the Captaine her fathers death neither can her teares or prayers exempt her from this affliction and misery She was once of opinion to deny it but understanding that the Baron of Carpi and his Laquay Lorenzo were already executed for the same in Naples shee with a world of teares freely confesseth it and confirmes as much as Carpi affirmed whereupon in expiation of this her inhumane Paracide she is condemned to have her head cut off her body burnt and her ashes throwne into the ayre for a milder death and a lesse punishment the Lord will not out of his Justice inflict vpon her for this her horrible crime and barbarous cruelty committed on the person of her owne father or at least seducing and occasioning it to be committed on him and it is not in her husbands possible power to exempt or free her hereof Being sent backe that night to prison she passeth it over or in very truth the greatest part thereof in prayer still grieving for her sinnes and mourning for this her bloudy offence and crime and the next morne being brought to her execution when she ascended the scaffold she was very humble sorrowfull and repentant and with many showres of teares requested her brother Alcasero and all her kinsfolkes to forgive her for occasioning and consenting to her fathers death and generally all the world to pray for her when her sighs and teares so sorrowfully interrupted and silenced her tongue as she recommending her soule into the hands of her Redeâ—…mer whom she had so heynously offended shee with great humility and contrition kneeling on her knees and lifting up her eyes and hands towards heaven the Executioner with his sword made a double divorce betwixt her head and her body her body and her soule and then the fire as if incensed at so fiery a spirit consumed her to ashes and her ashes were throwne into the ayre to teach her and all the world by her example that so inhumane and bloudy a daughter deserved not either to tread on the face of this Earth or to breathe this ayre of life She was lamented of all who either knew or saw her not that she should die but that she should first deserve then suffer so shamefull and wretched a death and yet shee was farre happier than her sister Fidelia for shee despaired and this confidently hoped for remission and salvation Thus albeit this wretched and execrable young Gentlewoman lived impiously yet she died Christianly wherefore let vs thinke on that with detestation and on this with charity And here wee see how severely the murther of Captaine Benevente was by Gods just revenge punished not onely in his two daughters who plotted it but also in the two Noblemen and their two Laquayes who acted it Such attempts and crimes deserve such ends and punishments and infallibly finde them The onely way therefore for Christians to avoid the one and contemne the other is with sanctified hearts and unpolluted hands still to pray to God for his Grace continually to affect prayer and incessantly to practise piety in our thoughts and godlinesse in our resolutions and actions the which if wee be carefull and conscionable to performe God will then shrowd us under the wings of his favour and so preserve and protect us with his mercy and providence as we shall have no cause to feare either Hell or Satan GODS REVENGE AGAINST THE CRYING AND Execrable Sinne of Murther HISTORY XV. Maurice like a bloudy villaine and damnable sonne throwes his Mother Christina into a Well and drownes her the same hand and arme of his wherewith he did it rots away from his body aad being discrased of
confident that it is his old Mother who hath diverted him from her whereat shee is exceedingly enraged When seeing this old Letcher so open and plaine with her shee foothing him up with many kisses tels him that this old Beldam his wife must first be in heaven before he can hope to enjoy her or she his Son here on Earth when being allured and provoked by the treacherous suggestions and bloody temptations of the Devill she proffers him to visit her and so to poyson her which hee opposeth and contradicteth and contrary to all reason sense and repugnant to all Humanity and Christianity yea to Nature and Grace as a Husband fitter for the Divell than for this good old Lady his Wife hee undertakes and promiseth her speedily to performe it himselfe yea the Divell is now so strong with him and he with the Divell that because hee loves Marsillia therefore hee must hate his owne deare wife and vertuous Lady Honoria and because he hates her therefore he must poyson her A lewd part of a man a fouler one of a Christian but a most hellish and bloody one of a Husband to his owne wife who ought to be neere and deere unto him as being his owne flesh and blood Yea the other halfe of himselfe Hee cannot content himselfe to seeke to abuse and betray his Sonne but hee must also murther the mother So wanting the feare of God before his eyes and repleate with as much impiety and Cruelty as hee was devoyd of all Grace he is resolute in this his hellish rage and malice against her and so to please his young Strumpet hee will send this good old Lady his wife to Heaven in a bloody Coffin so without thinking of Heaven or Hell or of God or his soule hee procures strong poyson and acting the part of a fury of Hell and a member of the Devill he as a wretched and execrable Husband administreth it to her in preserved Barbaries which he saw her usually to love and eat whereof within three daies after she dies to the extreame griefe and sorrow of her Sonne Don Ivan who bitterly wept for this his mothers hasty and unexpected death but the manner thereof he knowes not and indeed doth no way in the world either doubt or suspect thereof His Father Idiaques makes a counterfeit shew of sorrow and mourning to the world for the death of his wife but God in his due time wil unmaske this his wretched hypocrisie and detect and revenge this his execrable and deplorable murther Now as soone as Marsillia is advertised of the Lady Honoria's death she not able to containe her Ioyes doth infinitely triumph therear and within lesse than two moneths after her buriall Idiaques and Marsillia worke so politiquely with Don Ivan as hee marries Marsillia although his mothers advise to him in the garden doe still runne in his mind and thoughts and now hee brings home his lustfull Spouse and Wife to his lewd and lascivious Fathers house at Sentarem where I write with horrour and shame hee most beastly and inhumanly very often commits Adultery and Incest with her and they act it so close that for the first yeare or two his Sonne Don Ivan hath no newes or inkling thereof and now Marsillia governeth and rules all yea her incontinency with her Father Idiaques makes her so audacious and impudent as shee commands not onely his house but himselfe and domineeres most proudly and imperiously over all his Servants Her waiting maid Mathurina observes and takes exact and curious notice of her young Ladies lustfull and unlawfull familiarity with her Father in Law Idiaques the which her mistris understanding shee extreamely beats her for the same and twice whippes her starke naked in her Chamber and dragges her about by her haire although this poore young Gentlewoman with a world of teares and prayers beggs her to desist and give over God hath many wayes and meanes to set forth his glory in detecting of Crimes and punishing of offenders yea he is now pleased to make vse of this young maidens discontent and choller against her insensed Lady and Mistris for we shall see her pay deare for this cruelty and tyranny of hers towards her for Mathurina being a Gentlewoman by birth she takes those blowes and severe vsage of her Lady in so ill part and lodgeth it so deepely in her heart and memory as she vowes her revenge shall requite part of that her cruelty and tyranny towards her Whereupon with more haste then discretion and with more malice then fidelity she in her hot blood goes to Don Ivan her young master tels him of this foule businesse betwixt his young wife and old Father to the disgrace and shame of nature and makes him see and know his owne dishonour in their brutish and beastly adultery and incest Don Ivan extreamely grieves hereat yea hee is both amazed and astonished at the report of this unnaturall crime as well of his young wife as aged Father Hee cannot refraine from choller and teares hereat to see himselfe thus infinitely abused by her beauty and betrayed by his lust and if it be a beastly yea a prophane part for one man and friend to offer it to another how much more for a father to offer it to his owne yea to his onely Sonne Hee expected more goodnesse from her youth and grace from age but as his wife hath hereby infringed her vow and oath of wedlocke so hath his wretched father exceeded and broken those rules and precepts of Nature yea he is so netled with the report and inflamed with the considetation and memorie hereof that he abhorres her infidelity and in his heart and soule detesteth his inhumanitie so as the knowledge hereof doth so justly incense him against her and exasperate himselfe against him that resolving to right his owne honour as much as they have blemished and ruined it and there in their owne he scornes to be an eye-Witnesse much lesse an accessary of this his shame and their infamy So he here enters into a discreet and generous consultation with himselfe how to beare himselfe in this strange and dishonourable accident when perceiving and finding that both his wife and father had by this their beastly Adultery and Incest made themselves for ever unworthy of his sight and companie he here for ever disdaining henceforth to see her or speake with him very suddenly upon a second conference and examination of Mathurina who stood firmely and vertuously to her former deposition and accusation against them takes horse and rides away from Santarem to Lisbone where providing himselfe of monies and other necessaries hee takes poast for Spaine and there builds up his residence and stay at the Court at Madrid where wee will for a while leave him to speak of other accidents which fall out in the course of this History Idiaques seeing the sudden departure of his Sonne and Marsillia of her Husband Don Ivan and being both assured that he
Pisani cannot imagine what friend of his it should be that Christeneta loveth but she knowes enough for them both and it may be too much for her selfe she knowes it at least an immodest if not a bold part for her to court Pisani who ought rather to court her but she thinkes it both wisedome and duety to give way to that which she cannot avoyd and prevent and so preferres the zeale of her affection before the respect of her modesty but that which makes her so resolute in the execution of this her amorous attempt is to see that Gasparino hath found Pisani to sollicite for him to her and shee can finde none but her selfe to sollicite for her selfe to Pisani therfore bold in this her resolution she beares so deep and so deare an affection to Pisani that she thinkes every moment an houre and every houre an age before she see Pisani that one person of the World whom she loves more deare then all the world Thus wishing night day her house the Nunnery and her chamber the garden shee with much impatient patiency awayts the houre of eight which shee knowes will bring her her joy or her torment her felicity or her misery her life or her death The Clocke strikes eight Christeneta takes her Prayer-booke and her Wayting-mayd and so trips away to the Nunnery but she doth now dispense with her devotion to give content to her eyes or rather to her heart in seeing and injoying the desired company of Pisani whom she esteemes the life of her content and the content of her life and so forsakes the Church to goe to the Garden Pisani who never failed of his houre and promise to men doth now disdaine to misse thereof to a Lady for Christeneta hath scarce made three paces in the walkes of the Garden but ere the fourth be finished shee sees Pisani enter shee blushes at his sight and hee growes pale at her blushes he findes her in a bower of Sycamors Cypresses and Vines decked within with Roses Lillies and Gilly-flowers hee gives her the good-morrow and the salute the which with a modest and sweet courtesy she receives and returnes he tells her he is come to performe his promise and if it please her to receive hers shee would faine answer him but her cheekes give blushes where her tongue should words but at last darting a sweet looke on him which was the Embassadour and Herald of her heart she discovereth her selfe to him thus The person Pisani on whom I have fixed and settled my affection doth exceedingly resemble you is of your owne blood and of your neerest and dearest acquaintance Pisani presseth her to know his name when after many glances sighes and blushes shee tells him his name is Pisani and himselfe the man prayes him to pardon her boldnesse and to give an honourable interpretation and construction to her affection 〈◊〉 withall that when she first saw him shee loved him and now prayes him to be 〈◊〉 that Christeneta may be a sollicitor for her selfe to Pisani and not Pisani to Christeneta for Gasparino yea she confirmes her words with many sighes and againe her sighs with many teares which trickle downe her beautifull cheekes like pearled drops of deaw upon blushing damaske Roses Pisani wonders at this unexpected newes and knowes not how to beare himselfe in a businesse of this nature hee sees that her beauty deserves love and her descent and vertues respect but withall he is not so dishonourable to betray his friend he wonders at her affection and is not ignorant that she deserves a more noble husband then himselfe but seeing her languish for an answer he returnes her thus Although I acknowledge my selfe infinitely bound to you for that affection of yours wherewith you please to honour mee yet as honour is to be preferred before affection so Christeneta must excuse Pisani sith hee cannot bee a servant to her but he must bee a traytor to Gasparino and that respect excepted in requitall of your favour I will esteeme my selfe happy if I may lose my life for your service Yet hee is not so unkinde but gives her a kisse or two at farewell which as much delights Christeneta as his refusall doth afflict her so they part The rest time must bring forth Now although Gasparino have left Pavia yet he cannot forsake his affection to Christeneta but cherisheth her memory and in heart adoreth her Idaea yea he loves her deepely and dearely and indeed her perfections and beauty deserve love but such is Christeneta's affection to Pisani as she can take no truce of her thoughts but despight of discretion and modesty which perswade and counsell her to the contrary she within ten dayes after purposely sends a confident Messenger to him to Cremona with this Letter CHRISTENETA to PISANI FInde it not strange that I second my last speech with this my first Letter and thinke that were not my affection intire and constant I should not thus attempt to reveale it you in lines which blush not as my cheekes doe when I write them I should offer too palpable violence and injury to the truth if I tell you not that it is impossible for Christeneta to love any but Pisani whom I no sooner saw but deepely admir'd and dearely affected Now sith my zeale to you is begunne in vertue and shall be continued in honour it makes me flatter my selfe with hope that you will not enforce me to despaire for if I am not so happy to be yours I must bee so unfortunate never to bee mine owne Iudge what your absence is to me sith your presence is my chiefest felicity which makes me both desire and wish that either you were in Pavia or I in Cremona I can prefixe and give bounds to my Letter though not to my affection Hate not her who loves you dearely otherwise whatsoever you thinke I know your unkindnesse to mee will bee meere cruelty CHRISTENETA 〈◊〉 Pisani receiveth this Letter he wonders at her affection and now consults betwixt Christeneta's love to him and his respect to Gasparino hee at first holds it incivility not to answer her Letter and yet is very unwilling in doing her right to wrong his friend but at last perusing her Letter againe hee findes it so kinde as hee deemes it not only ingratitude but a degree of inhumanity for him not to returne her an answer and therefote taking Pen and Paper he writes to her thus PISANI to CHRISTENETA YOu discover mee as much affection as I should treachery to my friend either to accept or â—…equite it and were it not for that consideration which must tend as well to mine owne honour as to your content I would not sticke to say that Pisani loves Christeneta because shee deserves to be beloved onely give mee leave to informe you that as you are too faire to be refused so I am too honest to betray my friend especially such a one who is as confident of my fidelity as I assured of
Sfondrato thinkes it high time to beginne and being no way daunted with the misfortune and death of his friend Pisani but rather encouraged and resolved to sell it dearely on the life of Sebastiano hee drawes and with his Rapier in his hand comes towards him Sebastiano meetes him halfe way with a very fresh and cheerefull countenance and so they approach one to the other at their first incounter Sebastiano gives Sfrondrato a large and wide wound on his right side but receives another from him thorow the left arme a little above the elbow but that of Sfondrato powred forth more bloud and to be briefe they both give and take divers wounds and performe the parts of valorous Gentlemen But in the end God who would not give all the victory to one side but will make both parties losers to shew that he is displeased with these their bloudy actions and uncharitable resolutions which though Honour seeme to excuse yet religion cannot after they had three severall times taken breath Sebastiano advancing a faire thrust to Sfondrato's brest which onely pierced his shirt and ravelled his skinne Sfondrato requited him with a mournefull interest for hee ranne him thorow at the small of the belly and so nayled him to the ground bearing away his life on the point of his Rapier Thus our foure Combatants being now reduced to the number of two Sfondrato expected that Gasparino would have exchanged a thrust or two with him the which certainely hee had performed But Gasparino finding that the losse of so much bloud made him then weak and that it was now more then time for him to have his wounds bound up they having taken order for the decent transporting of their dead friends that night to Pavia they without speaking word one to the other committ themselves to their Chirurgions and so their wounds being bound up they take them with them and to save themselves from the danger of the Law they take horse and poast away Gasparino to Parma and Sfondrato to Florence from whence they resolve not to stirre before their friends have procured and sent them their pardons Leave we them there and to follow the streame of this History come we to Cremona and Pavia which rings with the newes of the issues of these lamentable and tragicall combates Pisani and Sebastiano are infinitely bewailed of their parents and lamented of their friends yea of their very enemies themselves and generally of all the world who either knew them or heard of their untimely and unfortunate ends But all these teares are nothing in comparison of those which our faire Christeneta sheds for the death of her sweet Pisani For her griefes are so infinitely bitter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 teares her haire disfigureth her face weepes mournes howles and cries so extreâ—… that sorrow her selfe would grieve to see her sorrow yea she forsakes and abandoneth all company throwes off all her rich and glittering garments and takes on mournfull and sad apparell so as all the perswasions of the world are not capable to give her the least shaddow of consolation for as shee affirmes shee neither will nor can be comforted onely amidst her teares if shee admit or permit any passion to take place in her heart or thoughts it is choller and revenge against Gasparino who had bereaved her of her onely joy of her deare and sweet Pisani whom she loved a thousand times more deare and tenderly then her selfe and of him she vowes to be reveng'd in the highest degree Whereby wee may here in Christeneta see the old phrase made good and verifyed That there is no affection nor hatred to that of a Woman for where they love they love dearely and where they hate hate deadly But leave we her to her sorrowes and come we againe to Gasparino who in short time having obtained his pardon returnes from Parma to Cremona where hee is joyfully received of his parents and friends He is no sooner arrived but the remembrance of Christeneta's beauty doth flourish and revive in his heart for although she had loved another yet he could affect none but her selfe when letting passe some sixe or eight moneths and hoping that time which is subject to nothing and all things to it might wipe off her teares and blow away her sighes for the death of Pisani hee resolves to renew his old sute to her to which end he visits her first by friends next by letters and then in person Christeneta like a counterfeit Fury dissembles her love to Pisani and her hatred to him and withall triumpheth and takes a pride to see how discreetly and closely she beares her malice But our wisedome in sinne proves meere folly in the eyes of God which though she will not now acknowledge yet she shall hereafter bee inforced to doe it with repentance and peradventure when it is too late So being resolute in her inveterate indignation her malice doth so out-brave her charity and her revenge her religion as shee cannot finde any rest in her thoughts or tranquillity in her minde before she see the death of Gasparino make amends and satisfaction for that of Pisani Gasparino having the eyes of his judgement hood-winked and not foreseeing how dangerous it is to repose and relye on the favour of an incensed enemy as our judgements are never clearest when we approach our ruine is very importunate with Christeneta that he may meet and conferre privately with her which indeed is the onely opportunity that in heart she hath so long desired and now it is that she conspires his ruine and plots his destruction wherein perchance seeking his death she may procure her owne Dissembling Wretch as she is she seemes to be vanquished with his importunity and therefore to shew her selfe courteous and kinde to him she appoynts him to meet her in the Nunnes Garden at sixe of the clocke in the morning But what courtesy what kindnesse is this to have honey in the tongue and poyson in the heart For she presently agrees with two wretched Ruffians Bianco and Brindoli for twice fifty Duckets to murther him See here the implacable and damnable malice of this young Gentlewoman who forgetting her soule and her God becomes the Author of so execrable and lamentable a Murther Gasparino drowning his sences and understanding in the contemplation of the content he should receive in injoying his Mistresse Christeneta's company thinkes the night long ere the day appeare and although the evening were faire and cleare yet in the morne Aurora had no sooner lept from the watry bed of Neptune but the Skies were over-cast and vayled with obscure clouds which imprison the Sunne and his golden beames purposely not to behold so bloudy a Tragedie as was then to bee acted Christeneta who could not sleepe for revenge is stirring in the morne betimes and so is Bianco and Brindoli They all meet in the Nunnes Garden she walking in the Alleyes and they hiding themselves out of sight At last the Clocke strikes sixe and
him by her being a very faire young girle about the age of twelve yeares old named Iosselina whom hee hoped should prove the staffe and prop of his age and resolved when she grew up in yeares and came to womans estate to marry her to some of his neighbours sonnes and at his death to give her all that litle which either his parents or his owne labor and industry had left or procured him Two or three yeares sliding away in which time Mollard increasing in wealth and his Daughter in yeares shee was and was justly reported to bee the fairest Nymph of those parts and by all the rusticke Swaynes tearmed the faire Iosselina esteeming themselves happy if they might see her much more if they might injoy her presence Now within a little League of Mollards house dwelt an ancient and wealthy Gentleman named Mounsieur de Coucie who had many children but among the rest his eldest sonne tearmed Mounsieur de Mortaigne was a very hopefull and brave Gentleman who was first a Page to that generous Nobleman Mounsieur de la Guiche sometimes Governour of Lyons and since his death a chiefe Gentleman to Mounsieur de Saint Ierrant now a Marshall of France This Mortaigne having lived some yeares in Paris with his Lord the Marshall where hee followed all honourable exercises as Riding Fencing Dancing and the like whereby hee purchased himselfe the honourable title of a most perfect and accomplished Gentleman was at last desirous to see his father partly because he understood he was weake and sickely but especially to bee at the Nuptialls of a sister of his tearmed Madamoyselle de la Hay who was then to be married to a Gentleman of Avergne tearmed Mounsieur de Cassalis This Marriage being solemnized Mortaigne having conducted his sister into Avergne and now seeing his father strong and lusty hee beginnes to dislike the Countrey and to wish himsefe againe in Paris where the rattling of Coaches and the infinity of faire Ladies did better delight and please him hee craves leave of his father and mother to returne which because hee is the chiefest stay and comfort of their age they unwillingly grant him and so he prepares for his returne to Paris But an unlooked for accident shall stop his journey for the present and another but farre more fatall seconding and succeeding that shall stop and hinder him from ever seeing it For the night before hee was to depart the morning de Coucye his father is most dangerously taken with a burning Feaver and so neither he nor his mother will permit him to depart Living thus in the Countrey and few Gentlemen dwelling neere his fathers house hee gives himselfe to Hunting and Hawking Pastimes and exercises which though before he loved not yet now he exceedingly delights in Now amongst other times hee one day hunting in his fathers Woods hollowing for his Dog which hee had lost in a Thicket by chance sprung a Pheasant who flying to the next Woods hee sends for his Hawke with an intent to flye at him and so being not so happy as againe to set sight of him hee ranged so farre and withall so fast that he was very thirsty but saw no house neere him that hee might call for wine till at last he happened on that of Andrew Mollard of whom we have formerly made mention Mortaigne seeing a man walking in the next Vineyard demanded if he were the man of the house and prayed him to afford him a draught of Wine alledging that he was very thirsty Mollard knowing this young Gentleman by the Modell of his face presumed to demand him if he were not one of Mounsieur de Coucye's sonnes Hee answered yes and that his name was Mortaigne Mollard presently calling to minde that he was his fathers heire very courteously in his fashion prayes him to enter his house and so beeing set downe hee sends his daughter Iosselina for wine which she fetched and they both drinke where honest Mollard thinking his house blessed with so great and as he thought so good a Gentleman very cheerefully proffers him peares Grapes Walnuts and such homely dainties as his poore cottage could affoord But wee shall see Mortaigne requite this courtesie of Mollard with an extreame ingratitude Mortaigne whose eye was seldome on Mollard and never from his daughter admires to see so sweet a beauty in so obscure a place he cannot refraine from blushing to behold the delicacy of her pure complexion for though she were poore in cloathes yet hee saw her rich in beauty which made not onely his eyes but his heart conclude that shee was wonderfull faire sith it is ever the signe of a true and perfect beauty where the face graceth the apparrell and not the apparrell the face And now comparing Iosselina's taynt to that of the gallant Ladies of Paris he finds that the truth of nature exceeds the falshood of their Art for thorow the Alablaster of her Front Necke and Pappes hee might perceive the azure of her veines which like the windings of Meanders streames swiftly range and sweetly presents it selfe to his eye And for her eies or rather the Diamonds and Stars of her face their splendor was so cleare and their influence so piercing as they not onely captivate his thoughts with love but wound his heart with affection and admiration But if Mortaigne gaze on the freshnesse and sweetnesse of Iosselina's beauty no lesse doth she on the propernesse and perfection of his youth onely his eyes tilt at hers with more liberty and hers on him with modesty respect and secrecy which Mortaigne well espying hee vowes to obtaine her favour or to lose his life in research thereof but the end of such lascivious resolutions seldome prosper But see how all things favour Mortaignes affection or rather his lust to Iosselina for Mollard tells him hee holds a small tenement neere adjoyning of his father who hath now put him in sute of Law for two herriots and therefore beseecheth him for his good word and favour to his father in his behalfe Mortaigne glad of this occasion to serve for a pretext and cloake for him to have accesse to his house and daughter promiseth him to deale effectually with his father for him and the next time he passeth that way to acquaint him what hee hath done therein and so stealing a kisse or two from Iosselina as her father went into the Court and withall swearing to her that hee loved her dearely and would come often to see her hee thanking Mollard for his good cheere for that time departed But the further hee goes from Mollards house the neerer his heart approcheth his daughter Iosselina So his thoughts being stedfastly and continually fixed on her hee beginnes to distaste his fathers house yea forsakes all company and many times pretending to walke in the Parke and Woods he steales away privately to see his new Mistresse Hee visits her often but especially when her father is at market and gives her
Iosselina but likewise that of her infant sonne whom hee first strangled and then threw into the River Lignon and this said he he did at the request of his Master Mortaigne of whom for his part and labour he received one hundred Frankes Wee have here found two of these Murtherers and now what resteth there but that the third who is the Authour and as it were the capitall great wheele of these bloody Tragedies bee produced and brought to this Arraignement The Procurer and Lievtennant repaire againe to the Prison and charge Mortaigne with these two bloody Murthers hee knowes it is in vaine to denye it sith hee is sure his two execrable agents have already revealed it therefore he ashamed at the remembrance of his cruell and unnatural crimes doth with many teares very sorrowfully and penitently confesse all It is a happinesse for him to repent these Murthers but it had beene a farre greater if hee had never contrived and committed them yea the Iudges are amazed to heare the cruelty hereof and the people to know it and both send their prayses and thankefulnesse to God that hee hath thus detected and brought them to light on earth And now comes the Catastrophe of their owne Tragedies wherein every one of these Malefactors receives condigne punishment for their severall offences La Palma is condemned to bee hanged and burnt La Verdure to bee broken on the Wheele and his body to bee throwne into the River Lignon and Mortaigne though the last in ranke yet the first in offence to be broken on the Wheele his body burnt and his ashes throwne into the aire which Sentence in the sight of a great multitude of Spectators was on a Market day accordingly executed and performed in La Palisse And this was the bloody end of Mortaigne and his two hellish instruments for murthering innocent Iosselina and her silly and tender infant May all Maydens learne by her example to preserve their chastities and men by La Verdures and La Palma's not to be drawne to shed innocent blood for the lucre of wealth and money and by Mortaignes to bee lesse lascivious inhumane and bloody thereby to prevent so execrable a life and so infamous a death One thing I may not omit La Palma on the Ladder extreamely cursed the malice of his wife Isabella who he said was the author of his death and no lesse did La Verdure on the Wheele by his Master Mortaigne but both of them were so desperately irreligious as neither of them considered that it was their former sinnes and the malice of the Devill to whom they gave too much eare that was the cause thereof And for Mortaigne after he had informed the world that hee extreamely grieved that his Iudges had not given him the death of a Gentleman which was to haue beene beheaded he with many teares bewayled his infinite ingratitude cruelty and unnaturalnesse both towards Iosselina as also his and her young sonne yet he prayed the world in generall to pray that God would forgive it him and likewise requested the Executioner to dispatch him quickely out of this life because hee confessed hee was unworthy to live longer Now let us glorifie our Creatour and Redeemer who continually makes a strict inquisition for blood and a curious and miraculous inquiry for Murther yea let us both feare him with love and love him with feare sith hee is as impartiall in his justice as in distributing his mercies GODS REVENGE AGAINST THE CRYING AND EXEcrable sinne of Murther HISTORIE IV. Beatrice-Ioana to marry Alsemero causeth de Flores to murther Alonso Piracquo who was a sutter to her Alsemero marries her and finding de Flores and her in adultery kills them both Tomaso Piracquo Challengeth Alsemero for his Brothers death Alsemero kills him treacherously in the field and is beheaded for the same and his body throwne into the Sea At his execution hee confesseth that his wife and de Flores Murthered Alonso Piracquo their bodies are taken up out of their graves then burnt and their ashes throwne into the ayre SIth in the day of Iudgement we shall answer at Gods great Tribunall for every lewd thought our hearts conceive and idle words our tongues utter how then shall we dare appeare much lesse thinke to scape when we defile our bodies with the pollution of adultery and taint our soules with the innocent bloud of our Christian brethren when I say with beastly lust and adultery we unsanctifie our sanctified bodies who are the receptacles and Temples of the holy Ghost and with high and presumptuous hands stabbe at the Majesty of God by Murthering of man who is his Image This is not the Ladder to scale heaven but the shortest way to ride poast to hell for how can we give our selves to God when in the heat of lust and fume of Revenge we sell our hearts to the Devill But did we ever love God for his Mercy or feare him for his Iustice we would then not onely hate these sinnes in our selves but detest them in others for these are crying and capitall offences seene in heaven and by the Sword of his Magistrates brought forth and punished here on earth A lamentable and mournefull example whereof I here produce to your view but not to your imitation may wee all read it to the reformation of our lives to the comfort of our soules and to the eternall glory of the most Sacred and Individuall Trinity IN Valentia an ancient and famous City of Spaine there dwelt one Don Pedro de Alsemero a Noble young Cavallier whose father Don Ivan Alsemero being slaine by the Hollanders in the Sea fight at Gibralter hee resolved to addict himselfe to Navall and sea actions thereby to make himselfe capeable to revenge his fathers death a brave resolution worthy the affection of a sonne and the Generosity of a Gentleman To which end hee makes two voyages to the West-Indies from whence he returnes flourishing and rich which so spread the sayles of his Ambition and hoysted his fame from top to top gallant that his courage growing with his yeares he thought no attempt dangerous enough if honourable nor no honour enough glorious except atchieved and purchased by danger In the actions of Alarache and Mamora he shewed many noble proofes and testimonies of his valour and prowesse the which he confirmed and made good by the receit of eleven severall wounds which as markes and Trophees of Honour made him famous in Castile Boyling thus in the heate of his youthfull bloud and contemplating often on the death of his father he resolves to goe to Validolyd and to imply some Grando either to the King or to the Duke of Lerma his great favorite to procure him a Captaines place and a company under the Arch-Duke Albertus who at that time made bloudy warres against the Netherlanders thereby to draw them to obedience But as hee beganne this sute a generall truce of both sides laid aside Armes which by the mediation of England
of Piracquo might receive a more honourable and Christian like Sepulchre and if these crimes of his be not capable to deserve revenge and chastisement Loe hee is entring into a new wilfull and premeditated Murther and doth so dishonourably and treacheroubly performe it as we shall shortly see him lose his life upon an infamous Scaffold where hee shall finde no heart to pitty him nor eye to bewaile him If we would be so ignorant wee cannot be so malicious to forget that loving and courteous Letter which Don Thomaso Piracquo wrote his Brother Alonso Piracquo from Alicant to Briamata to with-draw himselfe from his suite to Beatrice-Ioana and although his affection and jealousie to prevent his Brothers disgrace was then the chiefe occasion of that his Letter yet sith he was since disastrously and misfortunately bereaved of him of that deare and sweet Brother of his whom he ever held and esteemed farre dearer then his life his thoughts like so many lines concurre in this Centre from whence hee cannot bee otherwise conceited or drawne but that Beatrice-Ioana and Absemero had a hand and were at least accessaries if not authours of his losse upon the foundation of which beliefe hee rayseth this resolution that hee is not worthy to bee a Gentleman nor of the degree and title of a Brother if hee crave not satisfaction for that irreparable losse which hee sustayneth in that of his Brother and the sooner is hee drawne thereunto because hee believes that as Alsemero was ordayned of old to chastize Beatrice-Ioana so hee was by the same Power reserved to bee revenged of Alsemero Whereupon although it bee not the custome of Spaine to fight Duels as desiring rather the death of their enemies then of their friends he resolves to fight with him and to that end understanding Alsemero to be then in Alicant sends him this Challenge THOMASO PIRACQVO to ALSEMERO IT is with too much assurance that I feare Beatrice-Ioana's vanity and your rashnesse hath bereaved mee of a Brother whom I ever esteemed and prized farre dearer then my selfe I were unworthy to converse with the World much lesse to beare the honour and degree of a Gentleman if I should not seeke satisfaction for his death with the hazard of mine owne life for if a Friend be bound to performe the like courtesie and duety to his Friend how much more a Brother to his Brother Your Sword hath chastized Beatrice-Ioana's errour and I must see whether mine be reserved to correct yours As you are your selfe meet mee at the foot of Glisseran hill to morrow at five in the morning without Seconds and it shall be at your choyce either to use your Sword on Horse-backe or your Rapier on foot THOMASO PIRACQVO Alsemero accepts this Challenge and promiseth that hee and his Rapier will not faile to meete him yet as hee one way wondereth at Piracquo's valour and resolution so another way he considereth the great losse hee hath received in that of his Brother and the justnesse of his quarrell against him who although hee were not accessary to his Murther yet he is in concealing the cruelty thereof and indeed this villany makes him lose his accustomed courage and thinke of a most base cowardize and treacherous stratagem But this dishonourable resolution and designe of his shall receive an infamous recompence and a reward and punishment as bitter as just They meet at the houre and place appointed Piracquo is first in the Field and Alsemero stayes not long after but hee hath two small Pistols charged in his pockets which in killing his enemy shall ruine himselfe They draw and as they approach Alsemero throwes away his Rapier and with his hat in his hand prayes Piracquo to heare him in his just defence and that hee is ready to joyne with him to revenge his Brothers Murtherers Piracquo being as courteous as couragious and as honourable as valiant likewise throwes away his Rapier and with his Hat in his hand comes to meet him but it is a folly to unarme our selves in our enemies presence for it is better and fitter that hee stand to our courtesie then we to his when Piracquo fearing nothing lesse then Treason Alsâ—…mero drawes out his Pistols and dischargeth then the first thorow his head and the second thorow his brest of which two wounds he speaking onely thus O Villaine O Traytour falls downe dead at his feet Loe here the third bloudy part of this History It is a lamentable part for any one to commit Murther but for a Gentleman to destroy another in this base and cruell manner this exceedes all basenesse and cruelty it selfe yea it makes him â—…s uâ—…worthy of his honour as worthy of a Halter The newes of this bloudy â—…ct rattles in the streets of Alicant as Thunder in the Firmament Piracquo's Chiâ—…gion being an eye-witnesse hereof reports the death of his Master and the treachery of Alsemero all Alicant is amazed hereat they extoll Thomaso Piracquo's valor and his singular affection to his dead Brother and both detest curse the treachery and memâ—…ry of Alsemero The criminall Iudges are advertized hereof who speedily send poast after him but hee is mounted on a swift Genner and like Bellerophon on his winged Pegasus doth rather flie then gallop but his hast is in vaine for the justice of the Lord wil both stop his Horse and arrest him He is not recovered halfe way from Alicant towards Valentia but his Horse stumbles and breakes his fore-leg and Alsemero his right arme hee is amazed perplexed and inraged hereat and knowes not what to doe or whither to flie for safety for hee sees no bush nor hedge to hide him nor lane to save him and now he repents himselfe of his fact but it is too late his Horse fayling him he trusteth to his legs and so throwing off his cloake runnes as speedily as hee may but the foulenesse of his fact doth still so affright him and terrifie his conscience as hee is afrayd of his owne shaddow lookes still backe imagining that every stone he sees is a Sergeant come to arrest him yea his thoughts like so many Bloud-hounds pursue and follow him swearing exceedingly partly through his labour but especially through the affliction and perturbation of his mind yea every poynt of a minute hee both expecteth and feares his apprehension Neither is his feare or expectation vaine for loe hee at last perceives foure come galloping after him as fast as their Horses can drive So they finding first his poore Horse and now espying his miserable selfe hee sees hee is invironed of all sides and thinkes the earth hath brought forth Cadmean men to apprehend him yet remembring himselfe a Gentleman and withall a Souldier hee resolves rather to sell his life dearely in that place then to be made a Spectacle upon an infamous Scaffold but this courage and resolution shall neither prevaile or rescue him Hee to this effect drawes his Rapier the which the foure Sergeants will him to
hee seemed to have the art of perswasion in his speeches yet by the way using his best oratory and charity to draw Alibius from denyall to confession and from that to contrition and repentance his heart was still so perverse and obdurate as hee notwithstanding persevered in his willfull obstinacy and peremptorily continued and stood upon the points of his innocency and justification So strong was the Divell yet with him But whiles an infinite number of spectators gaze on Alibius as hee is in the Castle and hee cheerefully and carelesly conversed with some of his acquaintance as if the innocency of his conscience were such as his heart felt no griefe nor preturbation Lo he is called to his arraignement whereunto that World of people who were then in the Castle flocke and concurre His thoughts are so vaine and his vanity so ambitious as hee comes to the barre in a blacke beaten Satin sute with a faire Gowne and a spruce set Ruffe having both the haire of his head and his long gray beard neately kombed and cut yea with so pleasant a look and so confident a demeanour as if he were to receive not the sentence of his guiltinesse and death but that of his innocency and inlargement These honourable Iudges cause his Inditement to bee read wherein his poysoning and Murthering of his wife is branched and depainted out in all its circumstances whereat his courage and confidence is yet notwithstanding so great as by his lookes hee seemes no way moved much lesse astonished or afflicted the witnesses are produced first his owne daughter Emelia who with teares in her eyes stands firme to her former disposition that hee had often beaten her Mother almost to death and now had killed and poysoned her agreeing in every point with her disposition given to the Podestate and Prefect of Brescia which to refell her father Alibius with many plausible and sugred speeches tells his Iudges that his daughter is incensed or lunatike or else that shee purposely seekes his life to enjoy that small meanes hee hath after his death and so runnes on in a most extravagant and impertinent apologie for himselfe with many invective and scandalous speeches against her and concludes that hee was never owner of any poyson His Iudges out of their honourable inclination and zeale to sacred justice permit him to speake without interruption when having ended they beginne to shew him the foulenesse of his fact yea like heavenly Orators they paint him out the devillish nature monstrous crime of Murther the which they say he redoubleth by denying it not withstanding that they have evidence as cleere as the Sun to convince him thereof and so they call for two Apothecaries boyes who severally affirme they sold him Rattes-bane at two severall times But the divell is still so strong with Alibius as though his conscience doth hereat afflict and torment him yet there is no change nor signe thereof either seene in his countenance or discerned in his speeches but still hee persevers in his obstinacy and in a bravery pretends to wipe off the Apothecaries boyes evidence with this poore evasion that hee bought and used it onely to poyson Rattes And so againe with many smooth words humble crouches and hypocriticall complements hee useth the prime of his subtilty and invention to make it appeare to his Iudges that he had no way imbrued his hands in the bloud of his wife But this will not availe him for hee is before Lynce-eyed Iudges whose integrity and wisedome can pierce thorow the foggy mists of excuses and the obscure Clouds of his far-fetched shifts and cunninglycompacted evasions And now to close and winde up this History after the Iury impannelled had amply heard aswell the witnesses against Alibius as his defence for himselfe and that all the world could testifie that his Iudges gave him a faire triall they return and report him guilty of Murthering his wife Merilla whereat hee is put off the barre and so for that time sent backe to his prison and yet the heate of his obstinacy being hereat no way cooled the edge of his deny all any way rebated nor the obduratenesse of his heart the least thing mollified hee by the way as hee passeth beating his brest and sometimes out-spreading his armes saith it is not his crime but the malice of his Devillish daughter that hath cast him away yea although many of his compassionate and Christian friends doe now now againe in prison worke and perswade him to confession by aleadging him that God is as mercifull to the repentant as severe to the impenitent and obstinate yet all this will not prevaile The second morne after his conviction hee is brought againe from his prison to the Castle and so to the barre to receive his Iudgement where one of the two most honourable Iudges shew him That it is his hearkning to the Devill and his forsaking of God that hath brought him to this misery paints and points him out his dissolute life his frequenting of bad company his prodigality and adultery but above all his masked hypocrisie which hee saith in thinking to deceive God hath now deceived himselfe yea in heavenly and religious speeches informes him how mercifull and indulgent God is to repentant sinners that hee must now cast off his thoughts from earth and ascend and mount them to heaven and no longer to think of his body but of his soule and so after a learned and Christian-like speech as well for the instruction of the living as the consolation of Alibius who was now to prepare himselfe to dye hee pronounceth that for his execrable Murther committed on his owne wife Merilla hee should hang till hee were dead and so besought the Lord to bee mercifull to his soule And now is Alibius againe returned to his prison but still remaineth obstinate and perverse affirming to all the World that as hee hath lived so hee will dye innocently But God will not suffer him to dye without confessing and repenting this his bloudy and unnaturall Murther These his grave and religious Iudges out of an honourable and Christian charity send him Divines to prepare his body to the death of this world and his soule to the life of that to come they deale most effectually powerfully and religiously with him in prison and although they found that the devill had strongly insnared and charmed him yea and as it were hardned his heart to his perdition yet God out of his infinit and ineffable mercies addeth both power and grace to their speeches and exhortations so as his eyes being opened and his heart pierced and mollified they at last so prevaile with him that being terrified with Gods justice and incouraged and comforted with his mercies he with teares sighs and groanes confesseth this murther of his wife and not onely bitterly repents it but also doth thank these Godly Divines for their charity care and zeale for the preservation and saving of his soule and doth upon his
broth and poyson she gave her Master Shee bitterly sighing and weeping confesseth the broath but denies the poyson vowing by hâ—…r part and hope of heaven shee never touched nor knâ—…w what poyson was and desired no favour of them if it were found or proovâ—…d against heâ—… withall she acquaints them that she feares it is a tricke of malice and revenge clapt on her by her Lady Victoryna for the discovery of Sypontus his letter And to speake truth the Iudges in their hearts partly adhere and concurre with her in this opinion they demand her whether her Lady Victoryna touched this broath either by the fire or the bed Shee according to the truth answers that to her knowledge or sight she touched it not nor no other but her selfe So they send her againe to prison and returâ—…e speedily to Fassino his house where committing Victoryna to a sure guard they ascend her chamber and closet search all her trunkes caskets and boxes for poyson but find none and the like they doe to Felicia's trunkes which they breake open shee having the key and in a boxe find a quantitie of the same poyson whereby it was apparant shee absolutely poysoned her Master Fassino The Iudges having thus found out and revealed as they thought the true author of this murther they descend againe examine Victoryna and so acquit her Poore Felicia is advertised hereof whereat shee is amazed and astonished and thinkes that some witch or devill cast it there for her destruction Shee is againe sent for before her Iudges who produce the poyson found in her trunke she denies both the poyson and the murther with many sighs and teares so they adjudge her to the racke whâ—…ch torment she suffereth with much patience and constancie notwithstanding her Iudges considering that shee made and gave Fassino the broath that none touched it but her selfe that hee dyed of it and that they found the remainder of the poyson in her trunke they thinke her the murtherer so they pronounce sentence that the next morne shee shall bee hanged at Saint Markes place Shee poore soule is returned to her prison she bewailes her misfortune thus to die and be cast away innocently taxing her Iudges of injustice as her soule is ready to answere it to God All Venice pratleth of this cruell murther committed by this yong Gentlewoman but for her Lady Victoryna shee triumphs and laughs like a Gypsey to see how with one stone shee hath given two strokes and how one poore drug hath freed her this day of her husband Fassino and will to morrow of Felicia of whom she rejoyceth in her selfe that now shee hath cryed quittance for the discovery of Sypontus his Letter which procured his death but her hopes may deceive her or rather the devill will deceive both her and her hopes too How true or false righteous or sinfull our actions bee God in his due time will make them appeare in their naked colours and reward those with glory and these with shame The next morne according to the laudable custome of Venice the mourners of the Seigniory accompany our sorrowfull Felicia to the place of execution where she modestly ascendeth the ladder with much silence pensivenesse affliction at the sight of whose youth and beautie most of that great infinitie of Spectators cannot refraine from teares and commiserating and pitying that so sweet a young Gentlewoman should come to so infamous and untimely a death when Felicia lifting up her hands and erecting her eyes and heart towards heaven she briefly speaks to this effect Sheetakes Heaven earth to witnesse that she is innocent of the poysoning of her Master Fassino and ignorant how that poyson should bee brought into her Trunke that as her knowledge cannot accuse so her Conscience will not acquit her Lady Victorina of that fact onely she leaves the detection and judgement thereof to God that being ready to forsake the world siâ—…h the world is resolved to forsake her shee as much triumphs in her innocencie as grieves at her misfortune and that she may not only appeare in Earth but be found in Heaven a true Christian shee first forgives her Lady Victorina and her Iudges and then beseecheth God to forgive her all her sinnes whereunto shee humbly and heartily prayes all that are present to adde their prayers to hers and so shee begins to take off her band and to prepare her selfe to die Now Christian Reader what humane wisdome or earthly capacitie would here conceive or thinke that there were any sublunary meanes left for this comfortlesse Gentlewoman Felicia either to hope for life or to flatter her selfe that she could avoid death But loe as the children of God cannot fall because he is the defender of the innocent and the protector of the righteous therefore we shall see to our comforts and finde to Gods glory that this innocent yong Gentlewoman shall be miraculously freed of her dangers and punishment and her inveterate arch enemy Victoryna brought in her stead to receive this shamefull death in expiation of the horrible murthers of her two husbands which God will now discover and make apparant to the eyes of the world for as the Fryers and Nunnes prepare Felicia to take her last farewell of this world and so to shut up her life in the direfull and mournfull Catastrophe of her death Behold by the providence and mercie of God the Apothecarie Augustino of whom this ouâ—… Historie hath formerly made an honest and religious mention arrives from Cape â—…stria and having left his ship at Malmocco lands in a Gondola at Saint Markes stayres when knowing and seeing an execution towards he thrusts himselfe in amongst the crowd of people where beholding so young and so faire a Gentlewoman ready to die he demaunds of those next by him what shee was and her crime when being answered that her name was Felicia a wayting Gentlewoman to the Lady â—…orina who had poysoued her Master Fassino at the very first report of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Victoryna and her husband Fassino Augustino his blood flasheth up in his face and his heart began to beat within him when demanding if no other were accessary to this murther hee was informed that her Lady Victoryna was vehemently suspected thereof but she was cleared and onely Felicia this young Gentlewoman found guiltie thereof which words were no sooner delivered him but God putting into his heart and remembrance that this Lady Vectorina would have formerly seduced him for three hundred Zeckynes to have poysoned her husband Fassino hee confidently beleeving this young Gentlewoman innocent heereof with all possible speed as fast as his legges could drive hee runnes up to the Southeast part of the corner of the Gallery of the Dukes Palace where the Officers sit to see execution done the which he requesteth for that time to stop because he hath something to say concerning the murther of Signiour Fassino Whereupon they call out to the Executioner to forbeare which bâ—…ed infâ—… admiration
cole-blacke the best Physicians and Chirurgians are sent for they see her death-strooken with that Planet and therfore adjudge their skill but vaine her strength and senses fall from her which Catalina having the happinesse to perceive and grace to feele will no longer be seduced with the devils temptations The Divines prepare her soule for Heaven and now shee will no longer dissemble with man or God shee will not charge her conscience with so foule a Crime as Murther the which shee knowes will prove a stop to the fruition of her felicity She confesseth shee twice procured her Wayting-gentlewoman Ansilva to poyson her Sister Berinthia and since that she hath given Sarmiata one hundred Duckets to poyson the said Ansilva which he performed and whereof shee humbly begs pardon of all the world and religiously of God whom shee beseecheth to bee mercifull to her soule and so though shee lived prophanely and impiously yet shee dyed repentantly and religiously Vilarezo and Alphanta her old parents grieve and storme at her death but more extreamely at the manner thereof and especially at the confession of her bloudy crimes as well towards living Berinthia as dead Ansilva onely their Daughter Berinthia is silent hereat glad that shee is freed of an enemy sorrowfull to have lost a Sister they are infinitely vexed to publish their daughter Catalina's crimes yet they are inforced to it that thereby this Sarmiata this Agent of Hell may receive condigne punishment for his bloudy offence here on earth So they acquaint the Criminall Iudges hereof who decree order and power for his apprehension Sarmiata is revelling and feasting at Isabella's wedding to which hee is appoynted and requested to furnish the Sweet-meats for the Banquets but hee little thinkes what sowre sawce there is providing for him Wee are never neerest danger then when wee thinke our selves furthest from it and although his sinnefull security was such as the Devill had made him forget his murther of Ansilva yet God will and doth remember it and lo here comes his storme here his apprehension and presently his punishment By this time the newes of Catalina's suddaine death but not of her secret confession is published in Avero and arrived at the Bride-house which gives both astonishment and griefe to all the world but especially to Sarmiata whose heart and conscience now rings him many thundering peales of feare terrour and despaire his bloudy thoughts pursue him like so many bloudhounds and because he hath forsaken God therfore the devill will not forsake him he counselleth him to flie and to provide for his safety but what safety so unsecure dangerous or miserable for a Christian as to throw himselfe into the Devills protection Sarmiata hereon fearing that Catalina had revealed his poysoning of Ansilva very secretly steales away his Cloake and so slips downe to a Posterne doore of the little Court hoping to escape but hee is deceived of his hopes for the eye of Gods providence findes him out The House is beleaguerd for him by Officers who apprehend him as hee is issuing forth and so commit him close prisoner In the afternoone the Iudges examine him upon the poysoning of Ansilva and the receipt of one hundred Duckets to effect it from Catalina which shee at her death confessed Hee addes sinne to sinne and denyes it with many impious oathes and fearefull imprecations but they availe him nothing his Iudges censure him to the Racke where upon the first torment hee confesseth it but with so gracelesse an impudencie as he rather rejoyceth then grieves hereat where we may observe how strongly the Devill stickes to him and how closely hee is bewitched to the Devill so for reparation of this foule crime of his hee is condemned to be hanged which the next morne is performed right against Vilarezo his house at a Gallowes purposely erected and which is worse then all the rest as this lewd villaine Sarmiata liv'd prophanely so hee dy'd as desperately without repenting his bloudy fact or imploring pardon or mercy of God for the same O miserable example O fearefull end O bloudy and damnable miscreant Wee have seene the Theater of this History gored with great variety of bloud the mournefull and lamentable spectacle whereof is capable to make any Christian heart relent into pitty compassion and teares But this is not all wee shall yet see more not that it any way increaseth our terrour but rather our consolation sith thereby wee may observe that Murther comes from Sathan and its punishment from God Catalina's confession and death is not capable to deface or wash away Berinthia's malice and revenge to her brother Sebastiano for killing of her deare and sweet Love Antonio Other Tragedies are past but this as yet not acted but to come Lo now at last though indeed too too soone it comes on the Stage The remembrance of Antonio and his affection is still fresh in her youthfull thoughts and contemplations yea his dead Idea is alwayes present and living in her heart and brest 't is true Sebastiano is her brother 't is as true she saith that if hee had not kill'd Antonio Antonio had beene her husband Againe shee considereth that as Antonio's life preserved hers from death so her life hath beene the cause of his and as hee lost his life for her sake why should not she likewise leave hers for his or rather why should shee permit him to live who hath bereaved her of him But her living affection to her dead friend is so violent and withall so prejudicate and revengefull as shee neither can nor will see her Brother who kill'd him but with malice and indignation In stead of consulting with nature and grace shee onely converseth with choller and passion yea she is so miserably transported in her rage and so outragiously wilfull in her resolution as she shuts the doore of her heart to the two former vertues to whom she should open it and openeth it to the two latter vices 'gainst whom shee should shut it A misery equally ominous and fatall where Reason is not the Mistresse of our Passions and Religion the Queene of our Reason Shee sees this bloudy attempt of hers whereinto shee is entring is sinfull and impious and yet her faith is so weake towards God and the Devill so strong with her as shee is constant to advance and resolute not to retire therein Oh that Berinthia's former Vertues should bee disgraced with so foule a Vice and oh that a face so sweetly faire should bee accompanyed and linked with a heart so cruelly barbarous so bloudily inhumane for what can shee hope from this aâ—…mpt in killing her brother but likewise to ruine her selfe nay had shee had any sparke of wit or grace left her shee should consider that for this foule offence her body shall receive punishment in this world and her soule without repentance in that to come but shee cannot erect her eyes to heaven shee is all set on revenge so the Devill hath plotted the
Murther and with many teares repents herselfe of it adding withall that her affection to Antonio led her to this revenge on her brother and therfore beseecheth her Iudges to have compassion on her youth But the foulenesse of her fact in those grave and just personages wipes off the fairenesse of her request So they consult and pronounce Sentence against her That for expiation of this her cruel murther on the person of her brother she the next morne shall bee hanged in the publike Market place So all praise God for the detection of this lamentable Murther and for the condemnation of this execrable Murtheresse and those who before looked on her youth and beauty with pitty now behold her foule crime with hatred and detestation and as they applaud the sincerity of her former affection to Antonio so they farre more detest and condemne this her inhumane cruelty to her owne brother Sebastiano But what griefe is there comparable to that of her Father and Mother whose age content and patience is not onely battered but razed downe with the severall assaults of affliction so as they wish themselves buryed or that their Children had beene unborne for it is rather a torment then a griefe to them that they whom they hoped would have beene props and comforts to their age should now prove instruments and subjects to shorten their dayes and consequently to draw their age to the miseries of an untimely and sorrowfull grave But although they have tasted a world of griefe and anxiety first for the death of their Daughter Catalina and then of their onely Sonne Sebastiano yet it pierceth them to the hâ—…rt and gall that this their last Daughter and Child Berinthia should passe by the passage of a halter and end her dayes upon so ignominious and shamefull a Stage as the Gallowes which would adde a blemish to the lustre of their bloud and posterity that time could never have power either to wipe off or wash away which to prevent Vilarezo and his wife Alphanta use all their friends and mortall powers towards the Iudges to convert their Daughters Sentence into a lesse shamefull and more honourable death So although the Gallowes bee erected Berinthia prepared to dye and a world of people yea in a manner the whole people of Avero concurr'd and seated to see her now take her last farewell of the world yet the importunacie and misery of her parents her owne descent youth and beauty as also her endâ—…ered affection and servent love to her Lover Antonio at last obtaine compassion and favour of her Iudges So they revoke and change their former decree and sweeten the rigour thereof with one more honourable and milde and lesse sharpe bitter and shamefull and definitively adjudge her to be immured up betwixt two walls and there with a slender dyet to end the remainder of her dayes And this Sentence is speedily put in execution whereat her parents friends and acquaintance yea all that knew her very bitterly grieve and lament and farre the more in respect they cannot be permitted to see or visit her or shee them onely the Physicians and Divines have admittance and accesse to her those to provide earthly physicke for her body and these spirituall for her soule And in this lamentable estate she is very penitent and repentant for all her sinnes in generall and for this her vile murther of her Brother in particular yea a little imprisonment or rather the spirit of God hath opened the eyes of her faith who now defying the Devill who had seduced and drawne her hereunto shee makes her peace with God and assures her selfe that her true repentance hath made hers with him So unaccustomed to bee pent up in so strait and darke a Mew the yellow Iaundies and a burning Feaver surprise her and so she ends her miserable dayes Lo these are the bitter fruits of Revenge and Murther which the undertakers by the just judgement of God are inforced to tast and swallow downe when in the heat of their youth and height of their impiety they least dreame or thinke thereof by the sight of which great effusion of bloud yea by all these varieties of mournefull and fatall accidents if wee will divorce our thoughts from Hell to Earth and wed our contemplations and affections from Earth to Heaven wee shall then as true Christians and sonnes of the eternall God runne the race of our mortality in peace in this world and consequently bee rewarded with a glorious Crowne of immortall felicity in that to come GODS REVENGE AGAINST THE CRYING AND EXEcrable sinne of Murther HISTORIE VIII Belluile treacherously murthereth Poligny in the street Laurieta Poligny's Mistris betrayeth Belluile to her Chamber and there in revenge shoots him thorow the body with a Pistoll when assisted by her Wayting-Mayd Lucilla they likewise give him many wounds with a Ponyard and so murther him Lucilla flying for this fact is drowned in a Lake and Laurieta is taken hang'd and burnt for the same IT is an infallible Maxime that if wee open our hearts to sinne we shut them to godlinesse for as soone as wee follow Satan God flies from us because we first fled from him but that his mercie may shine in our ingratitude hee by his servants his holy Spirit and himselfe seekes all meanes to reclaime us as well from the vanitie of our thoughts as from the prophanenesse and impuritie of our actions but if wee become obstinate and obdurate in our transgressions and so like Heathens fall from vice to vice whereas wee should as Christians grow up from vertue to vertue then it is not hee but our selves that make ship wracke both of our selves and soules of our selves in this life of our soules in that to come then which no misery can bee so great none so unfortunate and miserable It is true the best of Gods children are subject to sinne but to delight and persevere therein is the true way as well to hell as death All have not the gift of pure and chaste thoughts neither can wee so conserve or sanctifie our bodies but that concupiscence may and will sometimes assayle us or rather the devill in it but to pollute them with fornication and to transforme them from the Temples of the holy Ghost to the members of a harlot this though corrupt Nature seeme to allow or tolerate yet Grace doth not onely deny but detest But as one sinne is seldome without another either at her heeles or elbow so too too often it falles out that Mâ—…rther accompanieth Fornication and Adulterie as if one of these foule crimes were not enough to make us miserable but that in stead of going wee will needs ride poast to hell A woefull President and lamentable and mournfull Example whereof I heere produce to the view of the world in three unfortunate personages in a lascivious Ladie and two lewd and debosht young Gentlemen who all very lamentably cast themselves away upon the Sylla of Fornication and the
purpose if need should require which Lucilla promiseth Now this night as Belluile could not sleepe for joy so could not Laurieta for revenge who is so weighed downe to malice and murther as she wisheth the houre come for her to reduce her devillish contemplation into bloody action But this houre shall come too soone for them both for as Lovers are impatient of delayes so Belluile hath no sooner dined but taking his horse and two Lackeyes hee sayes he will take the aire of the fields that afternoone but will first call in and see his Mistresse Laurieta So hee alights at her doore and without the least feare of danger or apprehension of death very joyfully ascends Laurietâ—…'s chamber who dissembling wretch as shee is very kindly meets and receives him and the better to smother and dissemble her murtherous intent is not onely prodigall in taking but in giving him kisses Belluile like a dissolute and lascivious Gentleman whispers Laurieta in her eare that hee is come to receive the fruits of his hopes and of her promise and curtesie when considering that his horse and two Lackyes were at doore she returnes him this in his eare that she is wholly his and that it is out of her power to denye or refuse him any thing onely shee prayes him to send away his Lackeyes because their familiarity needed no witnesses Thus whiles hee calls them up to bid them carry away his horse to the gate that leades to Marseilles and there to awayt his comming Laurieta steps to her Wayting-mayd Lucilla and bids her make ready her Ponyard and stand close to her for now quoth she the houre is come that I will be revenged of Belluile for my Poligny's death the which she had no sooner spoken but Belluile returnes to her when redoubling his kisses hee little or rather not at all fearing he was so neere death or death him being ready to retire himselfe to a withdrawing Chamber which Laurieta treacherously informed him she had purposely provided for him he takes his Pistoll and layes it on the Table of the outer Chamber wherein they then were which shee espying as the instrument she infinitely desired to finger takes it in her hand and prayes him to shew her how to shoote it off so taking it from her he told her if shee pleased hee would discharge it before her for her sake Why quoth she is it charg'd Yea replyes Belluile with a single bullet Nay then quoth Laurieta put in one bullet more and if you can espye any Crow out of the window either on the house or Church top if it please you I will play the man and shoot at it for your sake When poore Belluile desirous to please her in any thing looks out the window and espies two Crowes on the crosse of the Augustine Fryers Church which he very joyfully relates Laurieta and so at her request claps in a second bullet more for quoth â—…he if I strike not both I will be sure to pay one and so prayes him to leane out at window to see how neere shee could feather them which miserable Gentleman he performing the Pistoll being bent shee behind him dischargeth it directly in his own reines Whereat he amazedly staggering Lucilla seconding her bloody Mistresse steps to him and with her Ponyard gives him five or sixe wounds thorow the body so as without speaking or groaning he falls dead at their feet Whereat Laurieta triumphing and leaping for joy uttereth these bloudy and prophane speeches O Poligny whiles thou art in heaven thus have I done in earth for thy sake and in revenge of thy cruell death Which having performed they more cruelly then cruelty her selfe drag his breathlesse carkasse reeking in his bloud downe the stayres into a low obscure Cellar where making a shallow grave they there bury him in his clothes and so pile up a great quantity of Billets on him as if that wooden monument had power to conceale their Murther and his body from the eyes and suspicion of all the world Good God! what devills incarnate and infernall Furies are these thus to imbrue their hands in the blood of this Gentleman But as close as they act and contrive this their bloody and inhumane Murther on earth yet heaven will both detect and revenge it for when they least dreame thereof Gods wrath and vengeance will surprise them to their utter confusion and destruction and it may be sooner then they are aware of For the two Lackeyes having stayed at the City gate with their Masters horse till night they returne and seeke him at Laurieta's house where they left him Laurieta informes them hee stayed not an houre after them and since shee saw him not which newes doth infinitely afflict and vexe them But they returne to his lodging and like duetifull and faithfull servants betwixt hope and feare awayt his returne that night and all the next day but in vaine And now they beginne to be amazed at his long and unaccustomed absence and so consult this important businesse to some Gentlemen their Masters confident and intimate friends who together with them repayre to Laurieta's house and againe and againe demand her for Mounsieur de Belluile but they finde her constant in her first answer and yet guided by the finger and providence of God they bewray a kinde of perturbation in her lookes and discover some distraction and extavagancie in her speeches whereupon calling to their mindes her former discourtesie to him for Poligny's sake and his fighting with him on the Bridge for hers as also this sudden and violent suspected murther of him they suspect and feare there is more in the winde then as yet they know and so acquaint the Criminall Iudges herewith who as wise Senatours having severally examined both her and her Mayd Lucilla and Belluile's Lackeyes they conclude to imprison Laurieta which is instantly performed whereat she is extreamly amazed and terrifyed but howsoever she is resolute to deny all and constant to stand upon her justification and innocencie So her Iudges adjudge her to the torments of the Racke which with a masculine yea with a hellish fortitude shee indureth without revealing the least shaddow either of feare or guiltinesse but they detaine her still prisoner and hope that God will make time discover the Murther of Belluile for eight dayes being now past they are become confident that hee is not in this world but in another In the meane time her bloudy Wayting-mayd Lucilla hath continuall recourse to her Lady Laurieta in prison where like impious and prophane wretches they interchangeably sweare secrecie each to other sith on eithers discovery depends no lesse then both their deaths Whiles this newes is generally divulged in Avignion Provence Daulphine and Langueâ—…k and no newes at all to be had or gathered of Belluile La Palaisiere who shined with as many vertues as Lâ—…urieta was obscured with Vices out of compassion and Christian charity some three weeks after visiteth Laurieta in
prison although she partly believed and knew that she never affected or loved her when ayming to adde consolation to her afflictions as God would have it Laurieta out of her ignorance or folly returnes la 〈◊〉 this unlooked for answer That her selfe was as innocent of Belluile's death as shee was of Poligny's Which words being over-heard by some curious head of the company were instantly carryed and reported to the Criminall Iudges who instantly cause la Palaisiere to bee apprehended and brought before them whom they examine upon Poligny's death which doth no way affâ—…ight or afflict her because her conscience was untainted and her selfe as innocent as innocencie her selfe thereof They deale further with her to understand the passages of former businesses betwixt her selfe Poâ—…gny and Belluile Shee gives them a true and faithfull account thereof yea and relates them as much and no more then this History hath formerly related us and to verifie and confirme her speeches like a discreet young Gentlewoman she gives them the keyes of a Trunke of hers wherein shee sayth is her copy of a Letter shee wrote to Poligny and his answer againe to her which shee prayes them to send for for her better cleering and discharge The Iudges send speedily away for these Letters which are found produced and read directly concurring with the true circumstance of her former deposition whereupon with much applause and commendation they acquit and discharge her But if la Palaisiers Vertues have cleered her Laurieta's Vices which the Iudges begin to smell out by Poligny's Letter doe the more narrowly and streightly imprison her and yet knowing that la Palasiere neither had nor could any way accuse her for either of these two Murthers she sets a good face on her bad heart and so very bravely frollikes it in prison and to speake truth with farre more joy and lesse feare then heretofore but to checke and overthrow these vaine triumphs of hers in their birth and to niâ—… them in their bâ—…ds newes is brought her that her Wayting mayd Lucilla is secretly fled which her Iudges understanding they now more vehemently then ever heretofore suspect that without doubt Laurieta was the authour and her Mayd Lucilla the accessary of Belluile's Murther and so they set all the city and countrey for her apprehension And this newes indeed makes Laurieta feare that shee will iâ—…allibly be taken which doth afflict and amaâ—…e her and indeed here at shee cannot refraine from biting her lip and hanging downe her head But see the miraculous and just judgement of the Lord upon this wretched and bloudy Lucilla for she for feare flying as it is supposed that night from Avignion to Orenge to her parents was there drowned and the next morne found and taken up dead in one of the Fenny Lakes betwixt the two Cities Which newes being reported to Laurieta she againe converts her feare into hope and sorrowes into joyes as knowing well that dead bodies can tell no tales But the wisedome and integrity of the Iudges by the apparencie of Laurieta's crime in that of her Wayting-mayds flight againe command her to be racked but the devill is yet so strong with her and she with the devill that she againe indures the cruelty of these torments with a wonderfull patience with an admirable constancie and resolution and so couragiously and stoutly denying her crime and peremptorily maintaining her innocencie and justification her Iudges led by the consideration of the sharpnesse and bitternesse of her torments as also that they could finde no direct proof or substantiall evidence against her beginne to conceive and imagine that it might be the Wayting-mayd and not the Mistresse that had sent Belluile into another world and so resolve the weeke following if they heard nothing in the meane time to accuse Laurieta to release and acquit her which Laurieta understanding the torments which her limbes and body feele are nothing in respect of those contentments and joyes her heart and thoughts conceive and already building castles and triumphs in her heaâ—… and contemplations for the hope and joy of her speedy inlargement she in her appareâ—… and behaviour flaunts it out farre braver then before But she hath not yet made heâ—… peace with her Iudges neither have they pronounced her Quieta est And alas how foolishly and ignorantly doth the vanity of her hopes deceive and betray her whenâ—… the foulenesse of her soule and contamination of her conscience every houre and minute prompt her that God the Iudge of Iudges who hath seene will in his good time and pleasure both detect and punish as well her whoredome as her murther in heâ—… death And lo here comes both the cause and the manner thereof wherein Gods providence and justice doe miraculously resplend and shine For Laurieta being indebted to her Land-lord Mounsieur de Riehcourt as well for a whole yeares rent as for three hundred Livres in money which hee had lent her being impatient of her delayes but more of her disgrace le ts out that part of his house which shee held of him to the Deane of Carpentras who for his healths sake came to sojourne that Winter in Avignion and despairing of her inlargement and to satisfie himselfe beginnes to sell away her household-stuffe yea to the very Billets which she had in her Cellar which he retaines for himselfe whereof when his servants came to cleere the Cellar they removing the last Billets finde the earth newly removed and opened in the length and proportion of a Grave wherof wondring they presently informe their Master who viewing the same as God would have it hee instantly apprehended and believed that Laurieta had undoubtedly killed Belluile and there buried him when not permitting his servants to remove the least jot of earth he as a discreet and honest Citizen with all possible celeritie trips away to the Criminall Iudges and acquaints them herewith who concurring with Richcourt in his opinion and belief they dispeed themselves to his house and Cellar where causing the new opened earth to be removed behold they find the miserable dead body of Belluile there inhumanely throwne in and buried in his cloaths which causing to be taken off thereby to search his body they find himshot into the reines with two Pistoll bullets and his body stabd and pâ—…erced with sixe severall wounds of a Rapier or Ponyard they are amazed at this pitifull and lamentable spectacle and so resting confident it could be no other but Laurieta and her Mayd Lucilla that had committed this cruell Murther they very privately and secretly cause Belluiles dead body to bee conveyed to the prison and there when Laurieta least dreamt thereof expose it to her sight and in rough termes charge and crie out upon her for this Murther but this monster of nature and shee-devill of her sexe hath yet her heart so obdurated with revenge and her soule so o're-clouded and benumm'd with impiety as shee is nothing daunted or terrifyed with the sight hereof but
discretion and to hate and disdaine jealousic she beares this as patiently as shee may till at last seeking and finding out a fit opportunity shee both with teares in her eyes and griefe in her speeches very secretly checks him for these his inordinate and lascivious desires towards the young Lady Perina their Daughter in law But as it is the nature of sinne so to betray and inveagle our judgements that wee flatter our selves with a false conceit none can perceive it in us so this old lecher her Husband thinking that hee had danced in a net from the jealousie and suspicion of all the world in thus affecting his Sonnes wife hee like a lewd and wretched old varlet is so farre from rellishing these his old wifes speeches and exhortations or from being reclaymed thereby as hee disdayneth both them and her and from henceforth is so imperious and withall bitter to her as hee never lookes on her with affection but envie which neverthelesse she as a modest wife and grave Matrone holds it a part not onely of her love but of her duety by sweete speeches and soft meanes of perswasion to divert him from this fond and lascivious humour of his But observe the vanity of his lasciviousnesse and the impiety of his thoughts and resolutions for all her prayers and perswasions serve only rather to set then rebate the edge of his lust and rather bring oyle to increase then water to quench the flame of his immodest and irregular affection so as seeing that she stood in the way of obtayning his beastly pleasures he like a prophane and barbarous Husband termes her no more his wife but his Medea and which is worse hee out of the heat both of his lust and choller vowes he will soone remove her from this world to another And here the devill ambitious and desirous of nothing so much as to fill up the emyty roomes of his vast and infernall kingdome by miserable and execrable degrees takes possession first of his thoughts then of his heart and lastly of his soule so as being constant in his indignation and choller and resolute in this his impious and bloudy revenge hee meanes to dispatch and murther her who for the terme of forty two yeares had beene his most loving wife and faithfull bed-fellow but withall hee will act it so privately as not having as yet discovered his affection to his daughter Perina hee will therefore conceale both from her and all the world the Murther of this his wife Fidelia except only to those gracelesse and execrable Agents he meant imploy in this mournefull and bloudy businesse To which end with a hellish ratiocination ruminating and revolving on the manner thereof hee having runne over the circumstances of many violent and tragicall deaths at last resolves to poyson her and deemes none so fit to undertake it as her owne Wayting-gentlewoman Ierantha the which authorized by his former lascivious dalliance with her as also in favour of five hundred Ducats that he will give her hee is confident shee will undertake and finish neither doth hee faile in his bloudy hopes For what with the honey of his flattering speches and the sugar of his Gold she like an infernall Fury and a very Monster of her sexe most ingratefully and inhumanely consents thereunto so as putting poyson into Whitebroth which some mornings she was accustomed to make and give her Lady it spreading into her veines and exhaling the radicall humour of her life and strength within eight dayes carries this aged and vertuous Matrone to her Grave and her soule to Heaven But her Murtherers shall pay deare for this her untimely end The Lady Perina and all the Lady Fidelia's kinsfolkes and friends infinitely lament and bewayle her death and indeed so doth the whole City of Nice where for her descent and vertues shee is infinitely beloved and affected but all these teares of theirs are nothing in comparison of those of her wicked and execrable Husband Castelnovo who although he inwardly rejoyce yet he outwardly seemes to bee exceedingly afflicted and dejected But as hee hath heretofore acted the part of a Murtherer and now of an hypocrite yet have we but a little patience and we shall see that detected this unmasked and both panished Whiles this mournefull Tragedy is acted in Nice the mediation of the French King and Pope reconcile the differences give end to the Warres and conclude peace betwixt Spaine and Savoy So home returnes the Duke of Feria to Millan the noble Duke of Savoy and the generous Princes his Sonnes to Turin the Marshall de Desdiguieres and the Baron of Termes into France and consequently home comes our Knight Castelnovo to Nice where thinking to rejoyce with his young wife hee is so unfortunate to mourne for the death of his old mother but God knowes that neither of them know the least sparke or shadow of her cruell and untimely Murther and lesse the cause thereof Now for his lascivious and bloudy father albeit to cast a vaile before his thoughts and his intents and actions hee publikely mournes for his wifes death and rejoyceth for his Sonnes returne yet contrariwise hee privately mournes for this and rejoyceth for that But to leave the remembrance of Fidelia to assume that of our Perina I know not whether shee grieved more at her Husbands absence or rejoyce at his presence sith her affection to him was so tender and fervent as in her heart and soule shee esteemed that as much her hell as this her heaven upon earth but these joyes of hers are but fires of straw or flattering Sun-shines which are suddenly either washed away with a showre or eclipsed and banished by a Tempest for whiles her hopes flatter her beliefe of her Husbands continuall stay and residence with her her Father in lawes lust to her foreseeing and considering that it was impossible to thinke to obtaine her at home e're her Husband his Sonne were againe imployed and sent abroad makes all his thoughts aime and care and industry tend that way as if time had no power to make him repent the former murther of his wife or Grace influence to renounce the future defiling and dishonouring of his Daughter in law But hee is as constant in his lust to her as resolute in his dispatching and sending away of him onely hee must finde out some pregnant vertuous and honourable pretext and colour for the effecting of his designe and resolution because he well knowes his Sonne Castelnovo is as wise and generous in himselfe as amorous of his beautifull young Lady Perina but his lust which is the cause of his resolution or rather his vanity which is the authour of his lust at one time suggests him these two severall imployments for his Sonne either to send him into France with the Prince Major who was larely contracted and shortly to espouse MadameChristiene the Kings second Sister or else under the insinuation of some great Pensions and Offices that were shortly to
inhumane revenge will not as yet permit her conscience to informe and shew her the haynousnesse of her cruell and bloody fact But God will be more mercifull to her and her soule Some two dayes after shee is arraigned for the same where she freely confesseth-it having nothing to alledge for her excuse but that shee perfectly knew that her Father in law Castenovo and his Strumpet Ierantha had at least poysoned the Knight her husband if not likewise the Lady Fidelia his mother the which although they had some reason and ground to suspect because of Ierantha's sudden slight yet sith this could no way diminish or extenuate her Murther of her Father in law they condemne our unfortunate Lady Perina to bee hanged and so re-send her to prison to prepare her selfe to dye But the advice of some and the friendship and compassion of others as pittying her youth and beauty and commending her chastity and affection to her Knight and Husband counsell and perswade her to appeale from the Sentence of the Court of Nice to the Senate of Chambery which is the Soveraigne and Capitall of Savoy whither wee shall shortly see her conducted and brought In which meane time let us observe the wonderfull justice and providence of God shewed likewise upon this execrable Wayting-gentlewoman Ierantha for so cruelly poysoning the Lady Fidelia and the Knight Castelnovo her Sonne who although search were every where made for her yet she having husht her selfe up privately albeit her bloudy thoughts and guilty conscience for the same continually torture and torment her yet shee is so impious and gracelesse as shee no way feares the danger of the law and much lesse the severe tempest of Gods indignation and revenge which now notwithstanding in the middest of her security will according to her bloudy deserts and crimes suddenly surprise and overtake her for now this accident of her Lord Castelnovo's Murther and of the Lady Perina's imprisonment or to speake more properly and truly of Gods sacred decree and divine Iudgement throwes her into the sharp and bitter paines of travell for child with whose heart-killing gripes and convulsions she is so miserably tortured and tormented as shee her selfe her Mid. wife and all the women neere her judge and thinke it impossible for her to escape death when seeing no hope of life and that already her pangs and torments had made her but as it were the very image and anatomy of death shee beginnes to looke from Sinne to repentance from Earth to Heaven and from Satan to God and so taking on and assuming Christian resolution shee will not charge her soule with the concealing of this single Adultery much lesse of her double Murthers but very penitently confesseth all aâ—… well it as them and so commits her selfe to the unparalleld and mercilesse mercies of her paynes and torments hoping they will speedily send her from this world to a better But her Adultery and Murthers are such odious and execrable crimes in God sight as he will free her from these dangers of child-birth and because worthy will reserve her for a shamefull and infamous death So she is fafely delivered of a young son who is more faire then happy as being the off-spring of lascivious parents and the issue of an adulterous bed and by Gods providence and her owne confession shee for these her beastly and bloudy crimes is the second day committed to prison and the third hang'd and burnt in Nice and her ashes throwne into the aire A just reward and punishment for so hellish and inhumane a Gentlewoman who though otherwise shee shewed many testimonies and signes of Repentance at her end yet her crime were so foule and odious to the World as at her death shee was so miserable as shee found not one spectatour either to weepe for her or to lament or condolâ—… with her And now to shut up this History let us carry our curiosities and expectations froâ—… Nice to Chambery and from dead Ierantha to our living Perina where that grave and illustrious Senate in consideration of her famous chastity and singular affection to thâ—… Knight her husband as also her noble parentage and tender yeares they moderatâ—… the Sentence of Nice for murthering her Father in law Castelnovo and so in stead of hanging adjudge her there to have her right hand cut off and her selfe to perpetuall imprisonment in Nice where Gods sacred Iustice for this her bloudy Murther and the remembrance of her dead husband and living sorrowes so sharpely torment and afflict her as shee lived not long in Prison but exceedingly pined away of a languishing Consumption and so very sorrowfully and repentantly ended her dayes being exceedingly lamented of her kinsfolkes and pittyed of all her acquaintance and had not her affection beene blinded and her rage and Revenge too much triumphed o're her thoughts and resolutions shee had lived as happy as shee dyed miserable and have served for as great a grace and Ornament to her Countrey as Ierantha and old Castelnovo her father in law were a scandall and shame Thus we see how Gods revenging justice still meetes with Murther O that wee may reade this History with feare and profit thereby in reformation that dying to sinne and living to righteousnesse wee may peaceably dye in this World and gloriously live and raigne in that to come GODS REVENGE AGAINST THE CRYING AND EXEcrable sinne of Murther HISTORIE X. Bertolini seekes Paulina in marriage but she loves Sturio and not himselfe hee prayes her Brother Brellati his deare friend to sollicite her for him which he doth but cannot prevaile whereupon Bertolini lets fall some disgracefull speeches both against her honour and his reputation for which Brellati challengeth the Field of him where Bertolini kills him and hee flies for the same Sturio seekes to marry her but his father will not consent thereunto and so conveyes him away secretly for which two disasters Paulina dyes for sorrow Sturio findes out Bertolini and sends him a Challenge and having him at his mer cie gives him his life at his request hee afterwards very treacherously kills Sturio with a Petronell in the Street from a Window he is taken for this second Murther his two hands cut off then beheaded and his body throwne into the River ALbeit that Valour bee requisite in a Gentleman and one of his most essentiall vertues and proper ornaments yet sith Charity is the true marke and character of a Christian wee should not rashly resolve to hazzard the losse of our lives for the preservation of the meere title and vaine point of our honour but rather religiously endeavour to save our soules in that of our owne lives as also of those of our Christian brethren for in Duells and single Combats which though the heate of youth and revenge seeme to allow yet reason will not and Religion cannot did wee onely hazzard our bodies and not our soules then our warrant to fight were in earth as just as now the
in the very centre of his heart and thoughts hee beginnes to make his private affection to her publike and so having already wonne her heart from her selfe hee now endeavoureth to winne her from her friends and then to marry her But old Seignior Sturio his father is no sooner advertised of Brellati his death of Bertolini's flight and of his sonnes affection and intent to take Paulina to wife but disdayning hee should match so low and withall so poore as also fearing that this might likewise ingage his sonne in some quarrell betwixt him and Bertolini hee resolves privately to convey him away out of Rome in some retired or obscure place from whence hee should not returne till his absence had cooled and extenuated the heat of his affection to Paulina and of his malice and Revenge to Bertolini to which end three weekes are scarce past but taking his sonne with him in his Coach under colour to take the ayre in the fields of Rome beyond Saint Pauls Church hee having given the Coach man his lesson commands him to drive away and having two Braves or Ruffians with him they dispose or rather inforce the humour of his son Sturio to patience as despight him selfe they carry him to Naples where a Brigantine being purposely prepared hee shippeth over his sonne for the Iland of Capri or Caprea where long since Seiarâ—… his ambition caused Tiberius to sojourne whiles hee played the pettie King and domineered as Emperour at Rome in his absence and gives him to the keeping and guard of Seignior Alphonsus Drissa Captaine of that Iland with request and charge not to permit him to returne for the maine for the terme of one whole yeere without his expresse order to the contrary It is for none but for Lovers to Iudge â—…ow tenderly Sturio and his sweet Lady Paulina grieve at the newes of this their sudden and unexpected separation yea their sighes and teares are so infinite for this their disaster as all the words of the world are not capable to expresse them As for Paulina shee had so long and so bitterly wept for her brothers death as it was a meere cruelty of sorrow to inforce her to play any farther part in sorrow for the departure and captivitie of her Lover Sturio but her afflictions falling in each on the necke of other in imitation of the waves of the sea occasioned by the breath and blast of Boreas threaten her not onely with present sicknesse but with approaching death Againe she understands of Bertolini's safety and prosperity in Cicilia where hee triumphs in his victory for killing her brother Brellati and like a base Gentleman continually erects his Trophees of detraction upon the ruines and tombe of her honour and these considerations like reserved afflictions againe newly afflict and torment her so as having lost her jewell and her joy her brother and her Lover Brellati and Sturio shee beginnes to bee extreame sicke weake and faint yea the Roses of her cheekes are transformed to Lillies the relucent lustre of her eyes to dimnesse and obscurity and to use but a word not onely her heart but her tongue beginnes to faile and to strike saile to immoderate sorrow and disconsolation Her parents and friends grieve hereat and farre the more in respect they know not how to remedy it and for her selfe if shee enjoy any comfort in this life it is onely in hope that shee shall shortly leave it to enjoy that of a better Thus whiles sorrow â—…tion and sicknesse make haste to spâ—… out the thred and webbe of her life if her griefes are extreme and insupportable in Rome no lesse are those of her Lover Sturio in Caprea for it â—…rets him to the heart and gall to see how his father hath bereaved and betrayed him of his Mistris Paulina's presence the onely content and felicity which this life or earth could afford him a thousand times hee wisheth himselfe with her and as often kisseth her remembrance and Idea and then as their affections so their malice concurring and sympathizing hee againe wisheth that hee may bee so happy to fight with Bertolini for the disgrace of his Lady Paulina and shee for the death of her brother Brellati and in that affection and this revenge hee with much affliction and no comfort passeth away many bitter dayes and torments in the misery of this his inforced exile and banishment and although his curiosity affection or subtilty could never crowne him with the happinesse or felicity to free himselfe of his guards and captivity and so to steale away from that Iland in some Foist or Galley for the maine yet understanding that two dayes after there was one bound for the Port of Civita Vetcha hee to testifie his affection constancie and torments to his deare and faire Paulina takes occasion to write her a Letter to Rome the which that it might come the safer to her owne hands he incloseth in another to an intimate deare friend of his The tenour of his Letter was thus STVRIO to PAVLINA I Know not whether I more grieve at my absence from thee then at the manner thereof yet sure I am that both conjoyn'd make me in this Iland of Caprea feele the torments not of a feigned Purgatory but of a true Hell It was my purpose to condole with thee for the untimely death of thy Brother it is now not onely my resolution but my practice to mourne with my selfe for thy banishment or rather with thee for mine and when my sorrowes have most neede of consolation then againe that consolation findes most cause of sorrow for thinking of Bertolini me thinkes I see thy false disparagement on his malicious tongue and thy Brother Brellati his true death on his bloudy Sword and yet have neither the honour or happinesse to revenge either and which is worse not bee permitted to know where hee is that I may revenge them but I wish I were onely incident and obliged tosupport this affliction conditionally then wert exempt thereof or that I might know the limits and period of our absence thereby to hope for an end and remedy thereof which now I can finde no motives to know nor cause to hope O that I have often envyed Leanders happinesse And if Love could make impossibilities possible the Mediterranean Sea should long since have beene my Hellespont my Body my Barke my armes my â—…res to have wafied me from my Abidos to thy Sestos from my Caprea to thy Rome to thee sweet Paulina my onely fayre and deare Hero And although the constancie and fervencie of my love to thee suggest me many inventions to escape the misery of my exile yet the Argus eyes of my Fathers malice in that of my Guardians jealousie cannot bee inchanted or lulled asleâ—…e with the melody of so unfortunate a Mercury as my selfe but time shall shortly act and finish that which impatience cannot till when deare and sweet Paulina retaine mee in thy thoughts as I doe thee in my heart
inrich himselfe with more then kisses yea to reap the fruit of his beastly pleasures and obsceane and brutish desires but his hopes shall deceive him For although La Hay be a Courtisan in heart yet she will not be so in tongue especially now where to get her selfe a rich husband it behooves her to play her prise in Chastity as if she were as vertuous as faire and as chast as lovely Wherefore exclayming and storming at this his lacivious attempt and enterprise levelled at the defloration and shipwracke of her Honour she with a violent power and an enraged violence unskrewes her selfe forth his armes and with a world of hypocriticall sighes and teares flies to his Ponyard which he had throwne on the table and vnsheathing it vowes that she will be a second Lucretia and that if she cannot kill him before he have defiled and defloured her yet that she will assuredly murther her selfe after because she is fully resolved that her chastitie shal out live her not she her chastitie A religious and Honourable resolution of hers if it had proceeded from a chast and sanctified heart but alas nothing lesse for she speakes it out of subtiltie not out of Vertue out of Policie no way out of Pietie de Salez by this time having wholly lost his judgement in the sweet and â—…o seat garden of her delicious complexion vowes that he is now as deeply in love with her chastity as formerly with her beauty When seeking to appease her Choler and to pacifie her Indignation as also to give truce to his owne thoughts content to his defires he sweares he is so farre from intending her any dishonour as he is resolved to doe her all the honour of the world Yea so farre as if she please he is ready to accept her for his wife protesting that of all the maydens of the world he is desirous to be husband to none but her selfe and that the fault shall be hers if he make not his words deeds La Hay having her thoughts tickled with delight to heare the pleasant melody of these his sugred speeches doth thereat presently bury her sighes and drie up her teares when throwing a way the ponyard and making him a most respectfull courtesie and gratefull reverence she with extended armes runnes to him and hangs about his necke vowing that she loves no man in the world but him selfe and in consenting to be her husband she will till death yeeld not only to be his faithfull wife in attending his pleasures but his observant handmaid to receive and obey his commands and so they interchangeably greet each other with thanks and kisses But yet she knowing that his father Argintier was both rich and eminent and her owne poore and of a farre inferiour ranke she is so politicke and subtil in the managing of this her affection as she is resolved to make sure worke and to doe nothing by halfes so as knowing that words are but wind and what de Salez promiseth her now he may either forget or deny to morrow she intends to catch at opportunities forelocke and so with a sweet and ingenious insinuation drawes him to give her a Diamond Ring in token of marriage and she in exchange returnes him a smal gold bracelet which she wore upon her arme next her heart And yet againe considering that his father would very difficultly or never be drawen to consent to this match she can give no true content to her desires nor satisfaction to her feare before she have united and linked him to her in a more stricter and firmer bond of assurance when not onely feasting but as it were surfetting him with varietie of kisses she bethinks her selfe of a Policy as worthy of her wit for attempting as of his folly for performing for directing him her speech which shee accompanied with many amorous yet dissembling smiles shee told him she would futurely exced him in constancy and now outbrave him in affection when taking pen and paper she writes him a faire promise and firme assurance of her selfe unto him in the maner of a Contract and to make it the more powerfull and authenticall subscribes her name and signe to it and betwixt sighs and blushing she delivers it him no way doubting but rather assuring her selfe that he would requite her with the like curtesie and obligation as indeed the event answereth her desires and wishes For De Salez having now no power left him to see by his owne eyes I meane by those of his judgement but only by these of his intemperate passion and passionat affection he is so far from discrying much lesse from suspecting her policy as very simply and sottishly he attributes it to the fervency of her affection the which he interprets and entertaines I know not whether with more joy or delectaion and so vowing not to dye her debtor for Courtesie he very rashly and inconsideratly writes another to the same effect and flyes so farre from wit or discretion as to shew himselfe her superiour in affection as well as in sex he purposely cuts his finger and so firmes his name thereunto with his owne bloud and then with a million of kisses delivers it her vowing that her pleasure shall be his law in the accomplishing thereof onely he prayes her for a time to be secret and silent herein for that he feares he shall hardly draw his Father to consent hereunto the which she very courteously graunts him and so he triumphing in her beauty and she in his wealth he in her youth and she in his simplicity they for that time part not doubting but they shall shortly reape the fruits of their matrimoniall desires and wishes for till then she sweares though with an equivocating reservation to forsweare her selfe she will live a most pure and unspotted Virgine and that as the least of her affection and courtesie towards him shall be smiles so the most shall be kisses But this affection or rather folly of De Salez in contracting himselfe to La Hay is not so secretly borne but as her former unchastitie was a generall argument of talke to the whole citie of Tholouse so now this of her subtilty and good fortune is that of its uniuersall pratling and admiration occasioned and redoubled by the opposite considerations of Argentiers knowne wealth and de Soulanges supposed poverty and againe of de Salez supposed chastity and of de la Hayes notoriously knowne whore domes And as Fame is still so tatling a goddesse that events and accidents of this nature can hardly be concealed and difficultie suppressed and smaothered so by this time contrary to the expectations and hopes of our two young Lovers the old Councellor Argentier hath notice of this unlooked-for newes and of this unwished for familiaritie betwext his sonne and that strumpet La Hay when considering the great opposition betewixt de Clugny's Nobilitie and wealth and de Soulanges meane extraction and povertie as also by a true and uncontroleable Antithises comparing
and beaten by a Pigmey he lyes home at Vaumartin and at their very next close runnes him thorow the body of a deepe and mortall wound a little above his navell whereat his sword presently falls out of his hand to the ground and hee immediately likewise from his horse starke dead without having the grace or happinesse either to call on or to name God O what pitty what misery is it that a Christian should die like a beast having neither power to pray nor felicity to repent Thus we see the Challenger kill'd and hee who would have murthered a stranger murthered himselfe by a stranger a Lesson to teach others to beware by the Tragicall and mournfull end of this rash Nobleman De Salez seeing Vaumartin dead praiseth God for his victory and so leaving his breathlesse corps to his sorrowfull Chirurgion he gallops away to the next Village where he causeth his wounds to be dressed and from thence provides for his safety All Tholouse rings and resounds of this disasterous and Tragicall accident De Clugny is glad that De Salez hath escaped death yet sorrowfull that Vaumartin is kill'd in respect hee feares hee undertooke this quarrell for his daughter La Franges sake who hearing that De Salez wounds are no way mortall infinitely reioyceth and triumpheth thereat flattering her selfe though with this false hope that he affected her farre more dearer than he made shew of or else that he would never have fought with Vaumartin for her sake nor have kill'd him but for his owne And thus though humanitie made her grieve for Vaumartins death yet that griefe of hers was as suddenly converted into joy when she saw he received it by the hand of De Salez whom shee respected and afâ—…cted more dearer than all the Gentlemen of the world Now as for his father Argentier the life of his sonne likewise wiped off the remembrance of Vaumartins death and yet it grieved him inwardly that hee to whom he gave life should give death to another and farre the more in that this unfortunate accident must now enforce him to beg pardon from that grave Court of Parliament for this murther perpetrated by his son sith he had formerly so often pleaded for justice against others for the like crime and offence But all these joyes of Argentâ—…r De Clugny and his daughter Lâ—… Frange are nothing to those of La Hay for the life and victory of her deare De Salez leaping as it were for meere content and pleasure that shee should shortly see and enioy him for her husband and that God hath both reserved and preserved him to crowne her with the sweetnesse of this desired felicitie Thus while La Frange and La Hay triumph and congratulate the returne of De Salez so Argentier publikely and Dâ—… Clugny privately imploy there chiefest power friends and authoritie to procure his pardon first from the King then from the Parliament whereof they are two famous members Which â—…t lâ—…st by the meanes and favour of the Duke of Ventadour they obtaine So this murther of his is remitted in Earth but I fâ—…re me will not be forgotten in Heaven for though men be inconstant in their decrees yet God will be firme and upright aswell in the distribution as execution of his judgements Men as they are men may erre but as they are Christians they should not but God either to please or displease them neither can nor will De Salez no sooner hath escaped this danger but forgetting his former follies and his fathers advise and house he againe in a manner voluntarily imprisoneth himselfe with his mistris La Hay in hers whereat as his father stormes so De Clugny and La Frange bit the lip hoping that this good office in procuring him his pardon would more strictly have united him to her selfe and consequently sequestred him from La Hay but nothing lesse for he sings his old tune and will rather run the hazard of his fathers displeaâ—…ure than leave La Hay to take La Frange whereat his father Argentier reneweth his choller and revives his indignation against him as desiring nothing so much in this life as to see him married to La Frange but he shall never live to see it for there are to many disasterous accidents preparing to crosse and prevent it Whiles these things happen in Tholouse there betides an unexpected and unwished businesse which must call away Argentier to Paris For the Lords of the Privie counsell of France having received some informations and grievances against the body of the Court of Parliament of Tholouse command them speedily to send up some Deputies to answer such matters as shall be objected against them whereupon the gravitie and wisdome of that Court in obedience to their superiours elect two Presidents and four Counsellours to undertake that journey and businesse among whome De Clugny is chosen for one of the Presidents and Argentier for one of the Counsellours as inded their integritie and profound Wisedome and Experience had made them eminent in that Court. As for de Clugny at his importunate request made to the Court he was dispenced with from that journey by alleadging that his age and sickenesse made him altogether unfit to undertake it but all the evasions and excuses which Argentier could make could not exempt him but he must needs see Paris But first before his departure he had a long and serious conference with de Clugny how to effect the so long desired match of his sonne and daughter the finishing whereof was referred till his returne from Paris which sweet newes infinitely rejoyced and delighted the young Ladie La Frange and the immediate night before he was to take Coach hee calls his sonne de Salez to him and with a perswasive and powerfull speech requested him in his absence to love La Frange which he in plaine termes protested and vowed to his father he could not then hee conjures him never to marry La Hay which likewise he would not grant and to conclude sith his father could not prevaile in the two former he commanded him upon his blessing that he would never marry any wife whatsoever without his consent the which indeed de Salez could not denie but faithfully promised his father yea and bound it with an oath yet still hoping that it was as possible for him to draw his father to consent he should marry La Hay as it was as impossible for his father ever to perswade him to marry La Frange and so that night the father takes leave of the sonne and he the next morning of his father wishing him a prosperous journey and a speedy returne who suspecting and fearing that in his absence contrary to his requests and prayers his Sonne would only abandone La Erange to frequent La Hay he being arived to the Cittie of Tours thought himselfe bound in Nature aswell for his owne content as his sonnes tranquilitie and prosperitie againe to signifie him his mind in some few lines of advise
in all outward appearance I thinke he neither loves thee for my sake nor my selfe for thine Live thou as happy as I feare I shall die miserable FIDELIA What a fearefull Letter is this either for Fidelia to send or Carpi to receive but her distempered and distracted spirits can afford no other and therefore shee dispatcheth away the Laquay with this And now as if her thoughts transported her to hell shee cannot bee alone for the Deuill is still with her hee appeares to her in the shape of an Angell of Light and profers her mountaines of Wealth and Worlds of Honour if shee will fall downe and adore him To rebell against God is a sinne but to perseuere in our rebellion is not onely a contempt but a treason in the highest degree against God The best of Gods people are commonly tempted but those are and prove the worst who are overcome with temptation Fortitude is a principall and soueraigne vertue in Christians and if wee vanquish the Deuill it is good for vs that he assaulted us sith those Victories as well spirituall as temporall are ever most glorious and honourable which are atchieved with greatest danger Had Fidelia followed the current of this counsell and the streame of this advise shee had never beene so weake with God nor so unfaithfull to her selfe as to destroy her selfe but forsaking God and contemning prayer which is the true way to the truest felicity what can shee hope for but despaire or expect but destruction Her brother Alcasero and many of her kinsfolks neighbours and friends with their best zeale and possible power endevour to perswade and comfort her they exhort her to read religious bookes and continually to pray Shee hearkneth to both these counsels but neither can or will not follow either Her sleepes are but broken slumbers and her slumbers but distracted dreames and ever and anon it seemes to the eyes of her minde and body that the Captaine her father doth both speake to her and follow her In a word she is weary both of this world and of her life yea despaire or rather the Devill hath reduced her to this extreme misery and miserable extremity that she is ready to kisse that hand that would kill her or that Death which would giue her death Shee never sees a knife in the hands of another but shee wisheth it in her owne heart her Conscience doth so terribly accuse her and â—…r thoughts give in such bloudy evidence against her conscience and selfe for occasioning her fathers murther that she resolves she must die and therefore disdaines to live And now comes her sister Celestina to her to perswade and conferre with her but she will prove but a miserable comforter Fidelia sees her with hatred and detestation and when shee begins to speake very peremptorily and mournfully cuts off her speeches thus Ah sister would we had slipt when wee plotted our fathers death for in seeking his ruine we shall assuredly finde out our 〈◊〉 Provide you for your safety for I am past hope of mine and so get you out of my sight I know not whether the beginning of this her speech savoured more of Heaven then the end thereof doth of Hell for sure If we passe hope we come too short of salvation and if we forsake that this infallibly will forsake us This poore or rather this miserable Gentlewoman having alwayes her murthered father before her eyes which incessantly haunts her as a ghost and yet shee enforced to follow it as her shaddow is powerfully allured and provoked by the instigation of the Devill in what manner or at what rate soever to dispatch her selfe being so wretchedly instructed in faith and piety and shee addes and beleeves that the end of her life will prove not onely the end of her afflictions but the beginning of her joyes But O poore Fidelia with a thousand pities and teares I both pitie and grieve to see thee beleeve so infernall an Advocate for what joyes either will he or can he give thee Why nothing but bondage for liberty torments for pleasures and tortures for delights or if thou wilt have me shew thee whereat his flattering oratory or sugred insinuation tendeth it is onely to have thee destroy thy body in earth that as a triumph and Trophee to the enlargement of his obscure kingdome he may dragge thy body and soule to hell fire But Fidelia is as constant in her sinne as impious in her resolution and so all delayes set apart shee seekes the meanes to destroy her selfe shee procures poyson and takes it but the effect and operation thereof answers not her desires I know not whether shee be more impatient to live than willing to die We never want invention seldome meanes to doe evill a little pen-knife of hers shall in her conceit performe that which poyson could not shee seeks it and now remembers it is with her paire of knives in the pocket of her best gowne she flies to her Ward-robe and so to her pocket but finds not her knives onely she finds her Naples silke girdle in stead thereof The Devils instruments are never farre to seeke she thinks it as good to strangle her throat as to cut it And here comes her mournfull and deplorable Tragedy she returnes swiftly to her chamber bolts the doore and so which I grieve and tremble to relate fastens it to the reaster of her bed and there hangs her selfe and as it is faithfully reported at that very instant and for the space of an houre it thundred and lightned so cruelly as if Heaven and Earth were drawing to an end that not onely the chamber where she hung but the whole house shaked thereat The thunder being past and the skies cleared dinner is served on the Table and Alcasero and Caelestina ready to sit they call for their sister Fidelia but she is not to be found One goes to her chamber and returnes that her key is without side and the doore bolted within and yet shee answers not They both flie from the Table to her chamber and call and knocke but no answer Alcasero commands his men to breake open the doore which they doe and there sees his sister Fidelia hanging to the bed-steed starke dead They cry out as affrighted and amazed at this mournfull and pitifull spectacle and with all speed take her downe but she is breathlesse though not cold and they see all her face and body which were wont to be as white as snow now to be coale blacke and to stinke infinitely These are the wofull effects and lamentable fruits both of Despaire and Murther O may Christians of all ranks and of hoth sexes take heed by Fidelia's mournfull miserable example and withall remember that murther will still be revenged and punished especially that which is perpetrated by Children towards their Parents a sinne odious both to God and man sith it not onely opposeth Nature but Grace Earth but heaven No sooner with griefe and mourning
Honour on avarice not on Vertue on their owne gold not on the want of their Christian neighbours and brethren But enough of this and againe to our History Now if Christina for onely by that name I will henceforth intitle her have any comfort or consolation left her to sweeten the bitternesse of her Husbands death it is onely to see him survive and live in her sonne Maurice in whose vertues and yeares her hopes likewise beginne againe to bud forth and flourish when remembring what an earnest care and desire her husband had to see him a Scholler as she inherits his goods so shee will assume and inherit that resolution of his and although she love her sonnes sight and affect his presence tenderly and dearely yet shee can give no peace to her thoughts nor take any truce of her resolutions till shee send him from Morges to the Vniversity of Losanna some three leagues distant thence there to perfect his studies and learning the seeds whereof already so hopefully blossomed forth and fructified in him To which end her deepest affection and care having hearkned out one Deodatus Varesius a Bachelor of Divinity of that Vniversity whom fame though indeed most falsly had enformed her to be an expert Scholler and an excellent Christian shee agrees with him when allowing her sonne an honest exhibition and furnishing him with Bookes a Gowne and all other necessaries shee sends him away to Losanna charging him at his departure to bee carefull of his Learning carriage and actions and aboue all to make piety and godlinesse in his life and conversation the Regent of all his studies when with teares of naturall affection they take leave each of other Maurice being arrived at Losanna findes out his Tutor Varesius who receives and welcomes this his Pupill courteously and kindly but alas the hopes of Christina the mother are extreamly deceived in the vertues of Varesis because his Vices will instantly deceive both the merites and expectation of her Sonne or rather change nature and qualities in him and thereby shortly make him as vitious in Losanna as formerly hee was vertuous in Morgâ—… for I write with griefe and pity that to define the truth aright it was difficult to say whether he were more learned or deboshed a more perfect Scholler or prophane Christian for albeit the dignity of his Bachelorship of Theologie did hide many of his dissolute pranks and obscene imperfections yet his exorbitant deportment and industry could not so closely overvaile and obscure them but his intemperate affection to drinking and beastly inclination to drunkennesse began now to become obvious and apparant to the eyes and Heads of his Colledge yea to the whole Vniversity A most pernitious and swinish Vice indeed too too much incident and subâ—…ect to these people the Swissers but if it had beene immured and confined within these Rocks and Mountaines of Germany it had proved not onely a happinesse but a blessing to the other Westerne parts of the Christian world where it spreads its infection like an uncontrolable and incurable Gangrene yea like a most contagious and fatall pestilence so as in Varesius there was nothing more incongruous and different than his doctrine and his life his profession and conversation his Theorie and his Practice his knowledge and his will But if the head-springs and â—…onntaines be corrupted with this vice and drunkennesse no marvell if the Rivers and Streames of Common-weales bee infected and poysoned therewith yea if it be not debarred but have admittance and residence in the Schooles and Classes of Vniversities from which Nurses and Gardens of the Muses both the Church and State fetch their chiefest Ornaments and Members how can wee expect to see it rooted out from the more illiterate Commons whose grosse ignorance makes them farre more capable to learne Vice than Vertue or rather Vice and not Vertue sith there is no shorter nor truer art to learne it than of their Art Masters because the example and president of ill doings in our Teachers and Superiours doth not onely plant but ingraffe and root it not onely priviledge but as it were authorize it in us still with a fatall impetvosity with a dangerous violence and pernitious event and issue for if remedies be not to bee found in learned Phisitiâ—…ns it is then in vaine to seeke them in the rude and unlearned people and if the Prâ—…ceptor himselfe bee not sanctified it is rather to be feared than doubted that his Disciple will not This yea this is a most mournfull and fatall rocke whereon divers vertuous and religious parents have even wept themselves to death to see their children suffer shipwracke yea this beastly and brutish sinne of Drunkennesse is still the Devils Vsher and Pander to all other sinnes and therefore how cautious and carefull ought the Heads of Schooles and Vniversities bee to expell and root it out from themselves and to hate and detest it in others sith in the remisse winking thereat I may with as much truth as safety affirme that toleration is confirmation and connivency cruelty as we shall not goe farre to see it made good and verified in this ensuing mournfull History the which in exacting Inke from my Pen doth likewise command bloud from my heart and teares from mine eyes to anatomize and unfold it Difficultly hath Maurice beene three moneths in Losanna with Varesius but his vertues are eclipsed and drowned in vice yea he not onely thinks but holds it a vertue to make himselfe culpable and guilty of this his Tutors Vice of Drunkennesse wherein within lesse than three moneths hee proves so expert or indeed so execrable a Scholler in his beastly Art as both day and night hee makes it not onely his practise but his delight and not onely his delight but his glory Hee who before was so temperate in his drinke and conversation in Morges as for the most part hee wholly dranke water not wine now hee is so vitiously metamorphosed in Losanna as contrariwise hee onely drinkes wine no water yea and which is lamentable to remember and deplorable to observe in this young â—…choller hee drinks or to write truer devoures it so excessively as his Cups are become his Bookes his Carrowsing his Learning the Taverne his Studie and Drunkennesse the onely Art he professeth which filthy and inâ—…ous disease spreding from the Praeceptor to the Pupill from old Varesius to yoâ—…g Maurice hath so surprised the one and seizd on the other as it threatens the disparagement of the first his reputation and the shipwracke of the seconds fortunes and it may be of his life Now Varesius who will not bee ashamed to pity this beastly Vice in himselfe doth yet pity it with shame to behold it in his Scholler Maurice and yet hath neither the Grace to reforme it in himselfe nor the will or power to reprove it in him but in stead of stopping and preventing it doth in all things give way to the current and torrent of this
both accuseth 〈◊〉 condemneth himselâ—… for the same For the very Image of that conceit 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 â—…s his feaâ—… did his phrensie and madnesse hee in thâ—… 〈◊〉 of those fiâ—…s aâ—… the height of that Agony and Anxietie driâ—… out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my Mâ—…ther in the Well I have drowned 〈…〉 he suffer you to hang me I speake it on Earth and by my part of Heaven what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is true Which words 〈◊〉 sooner esâ—…aped his 〈◊〉 â—…ut he â—…nstantly â—…nes againe to his out-cries of phreâ—… and madnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…d the rest 〈◊〉 â—…ed at these fearefull 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which 〈◊〉 that they attribute to madnesse yet they lead him to the Hospitall he still raving and crying as hee passeth the streets But oh Let us here farther admire with wonder and wonder with admiration at the providence and mercy of God here againe miraculously made apparent and manifested in this execrable wretch Maurice for he who outragiously cryed in his prison and licentiously raved in the street is no sooner entred into the Hospitall but the pleasure of God had so ordained it as his Madnesse fully fals from him and he absolutely recovereth againe his wits and senses in such firme and setled manner as if he had never formerly beene touched or afflicted therewith His Gaolers make report to the Magistrates first of his confession of drowning his Mother and then of his sudden and miraculous recovering of his perfect memory judgement and senses as soone as hee set foot within the Hospitall Whereupon they as much astonished at the one as wondring at the other doe instantly repaire thither to him and there arraigne and accuse him for that inhumane and bloudy fact of his whereof his owne Evidence and Confession hath now made him guilty But they take him for another or at least hee will not be the same man He denies this horrible and bloudy crime of his with many oaths and asseverations which they maintaine and affirme he hath confessed sayes that they either heard a dreame or saw a Vision whereof hee neither dreamt not thought of and that hee was ready to lose all the bloud and life of his body to finde out and to be revenged of the murtherers of his mother But the Magistrates are deafe to his Apologie and considering the violence of his madnesse by its sudden abandoning him as also his free and uninforced confession of drowning his Mother they conceive that Gods providence and Justice doth strongly operate in the detection of this foule and inhumane murther and therfore contemning his requests and oaths in the vindication of his innocency they cause him to bee refetched from the Hospitall to the Prison and there adjudge him to the Racke when although his heart and soule bee terrified and affrighted with his apprehension and accusation Yet the devill is so strong with him as he cannot yet finde in his heart to relent much lesse to repent this foule and inhumane crime of his but considering that he acted it so secretly as all the world could not produce a witnesse against himselfe except himselfe hee vowes he will bee so impious and prophane in his fortitude and courage as to disdaine these his torments and to looke on them and his Tormentor with an eye rather of contempt than feare But God will be as propitious and indulgent to him as he is rebellious and refractory to God for here we shall see both his Conscience and resolutions taught another rule and prescribed a contrary Law yea here we shall behold and observe in him that now Righteousnesse shall triumph over Siâ—…e Grace over Nature his Soule over his Body Heaven over Hell and GOD over Satan for at the very first sight of the Racke the sight and remembrance of his bloudy crime makes him shake and tremble extremely when his soule being illuminated by the resplendant Sun beames of Gods mercy and the foggie mists of Hell and Satan expelled and banished thence he fals to the ground on his knees first beats his brest and then erecting his eyes and hands towards Heaven he with a whole deluge of teares againe confesseth that hee had drowned his mother in the Well from and for the which he humbly craveth remission both from Earth and Heaven And although there bee no doubt but God will forgive his Soule for this his soule murther yet the Magistrates of Morges who have Gravity in their lookes Religion in their hearts and speecheâ—… and Justice in their actions will not pardon his body so in detestation of this his fearefull crime and inhumane parracide they in the morning condemne him that very after-noone to be hanged At the pronouncing of which sentence as he hath reason to approve the equity of their Iustice in condemning him to die so he cannot refraine from grieving at the strictnesse of the time which they allot him fot his preparation to death But as soone as wee forsake the devill we make our peace with God All Morges and Losanna rings of this mournefull and Tragicall newes and in detestation of this mournefull inhumane and bloody crime of our execrable Maurice they flocke from all parts and streets to the place of execution to see him expiate it by his dearh and so to take his last farewell of his life The Divines who are given him for fortifying and assisting his soule in this her flight and transmigration from Earth to Heaven have religiously prevailed with him so as they make him see the foulenesse of his crime in the sharpenesse of his contrition and repentance for the same yea hee is become so humble and withall so sorrowfull for this his bloody and degenerate offence as I know not whether hee thinke thereof with more griefe or remember it wirh detestation and repentance At his ascending the Ladder most of his Spectators cannot refraine from weeping and the very sight of their teares prooves the Argument of his as his remembrance of murthering his Mother was the cause Hee tells them hee grieves at his very soule for the foulenesse of his fact in giving his Mother her death of whom he had received his life He affirmes that Drunkennesse was not onely the roote but the cause of this his beggery and misery of his crime and punishment and of his deboshed life and deserved death from which with a world of sighes and teares hee seekes and endevours to divert all those who affect and practise that beastly Vice He declares that his Mother was too vertuous so soone to goe out of the world and himselfe too vitious and wirhall too cruell any longer to live in it that the sinnes of his life had deserved this his shamefull death and although he could not prevent the last yet that he heartily and sorrowfully repented the first Hee prayed God to be mercifull to his soule and then besought the world to pray unto God for that mercy when speaking a few words to himselfe and sealing them with
many teares and farre fetched sighes he lastly bids the world farewell when enviting the Executioner to doe his Office he is turned over And such was the vitious life and deserved death of this Execrable Sonne and bloody Villaine Maurice wherein I must confesse that although his end were shamefull and sharpe yet it was by farre too too milde for the foulenesse of his crime in so cruelly murthering his deere Mother Christina whom the Lawes both of Nature and Grace commanded him to preserve and cherish Yea let all Sonnes and Daughters of all ages and ranckes whatsoever looke on this bloody and disasterous example of his with feare and feare to commit the like by the sight of his punishment It is a History worthy both of our meditation and detestation whether we cast our eyes on his drunkennesse or fix our thoughts and hearts on his murther Those who love and feare God are happy in their lives and fortunate in their deaths but those who will neither feare nor love him very seldome proove fortunate in the one never happy in the other and to the rest of our sins if wee once consent and give way to adde that scarlet and crying one of Murther that blood which we untimely send to Earth will in Gods due time draw downe vengeance on our Heads from Heaven Charity is the marke of a Christian and the shedding of Innocent blood either that of an Infidell an Atheist or a Devill O therefore let us affect and strive to hate it in others and so wee shall the better know how to detest and abhorre it in our selves which that we may all know to our comforts and remember to our consolaâ—…itions direct us O Lord our God and so we shall bee directed FINIS THE TRIVMPHS OF GODS REVENGE AGAINST THE CRYING AND Execrable Sinne of Murther Expressed In thirty severall Tragicall Histories digested into six Bookes which containe great variety of mournfull and memorable Accidents Amorous Morall and Divine Booke IV. Written by IOHN REYNOLDS LONDON ¶ Printed by Iohn Haviland for VVILLIAM LEE and are to be sold at his shop in Fleetstreet at the signe of the Turks-Head neere the Mitre Taverne 1634. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE PHILIP EARLE OF PEMBROKE and Montgomery Lo. Chamberlaine to the King one of the Lords of his Majesties most Honourable Privie Counsell and Knight of the most Noble Order of the Garter RIGHT HONOURABLE HAving formerly dedicated the third Book of these my Tragicall Histories of Gods Revenge against Murder to your Incomparable Lord and Brother William Earle of Pembroke who now lives with God I therefore held my selfe bound by the double obligation of my duty and your own generous merits likewise to present this Fourth Booke to your Protection and Patronage because as England so Europe perfectly knowes that you are as true an heire to his Vertues as to his Fortunes and to his Goodnesse as to his Greatnesse and that therfore it may properly be said he is not dead because they as well as himselfe do still survive and live in you with equall lustre and glory as having made either a happie Metamorphosis or a blessed Transmigration into your Noble breast and resolutions and therefore as it was my sincere respects and zeale to his Honour that then drew me to that ambition so it is entirely the same which hath now both invited and induced me to this prâ—…sumption to your Lordship having no other ends or object in this my Dedication but that this booke of mine having the honour to be countenanced by so great a personage and the felicity to be protected by so honourable a Mecaenas may therefore encounter the more safely with the various humors it shall meet with and abide more securely the different censures of this our too fastidious age How these Histories or the memorable accidents which they containe and relate will relish with your Lordships palate or judgement I know not Only because you are a Noble Son of Gods Church and an Excellent Servant to your Prince and Countrey I therfore rather hope than presume that your Honor will at least be pleased to see if not delight to know and consider how the Triumphs of Gods Revenge and punishments doth herein secretly and providently meet with this crying and scarlet sinne of premeditated Murther and with the bloudy and inhumane Perpetrators thereof who hereby as so many mercilesse Butchers and prodigious Monsters of mankind doe justly make themselves odious to Men and execrable to God and his Angels God hath deservedly honoured your Lordship with the favour of two great Earthly Kings your Soveraignes as first of our royallKing Iames the father and now of our present most Renowned King Charles his Son and yet this externall Honour and favour of theirâ—… is no way so glorious to you as that maugre the reigning vices of the world you serve the true God of heaven in the purity of your heart and feare and adore him in the integrity of your Soule And to represent you with naked Truth and not with Eloquence or Adulation This Heavenly Piety of yours I beleeve is the prime reason and true Essentiall cause of all this your earthly Honour and sublunary Greatnesse and that this is it likewise which doth so rejoyce your heart and inrich and replenish your House with so numerous and Noble an Issue of hopefull and flourishing Children who as so many Olive branches of Vertue and Syents and Plants of Honour doe both inviron your Bed and surround your Table and who promise no lesse than futurely to magnifie the bloud and to perpetuate and immortalize the Illustrious Name and Family of the Herberts to all Posterity Goe on resolutely and constantly Noble Lord in your religious Piety to God and in your Candide and unstained Fidelity to your Prince and Countrey that your life may triumph o're your death and your Vertues contend to out-shine your Fortunes and that hereafter God of his best favour and mercy may make you as blessed and as glorious a Saint in Heaven as now you are a great Peere and Noble Pillar here on Earth which none shall pray for with more true zeale nor desire or wish with more reall and unfained affection than Your Honours devoted and Most humble Servant Iohn Reynolds The Grounds and Contents of these Histories History XVI Idiaques causeth his sonne Don Ivan to marrie Marsillia and then commits Adultery and Incest with her She makes her Father in Law Idiaques to poyson his old wife Honoria and likewise makes her owne brother De Perez to kill her Chamber-maid Mathurina Don Ivan afterwards kils De Perez in a Duell Marsillia hath her braiâ—… dasht out by a horse and her body is afterwards condemned to be burnt Idiaques is beheaded his body consumed to ashes and throwne into the ayre History XVII Harcourt steales away his brother Vimoryes wife Masserina and keepes her in Adulterie She hireth Tivoly an Italian Mountebanke to poyson La Precoverte who was Harcourts wife
one way to bring us into this world but death hath infinite to take us from it and what is this buâ—… true argument reason of Gods glory and our miserie of his power and of our frailty and weaknesse and therefore because wee are as repleat of sinne as he is of sanctity and as subject to imperfections as all perfections are both properly co-incident and subject to him It will be an act of morall wisdome and of religious piety in us rather to glorifie than examine his sacred Providence and rather to admire than pry into his divine Decrees and resolutions And because his correction and punishment of all sinnes especially of this crying and scarlet sinne of Murther is as Just as secret and as inscrutable as Just therefore to 〈◊〉 towards the period of this deplorable History God is first pleased to exercise and beginne his Judgements on miserable Marsillia and then to finish it in wretched Idiaques But his divine Majestie is likewise pleased and resolved both to impose and make as great a difference in their punishments as he found a parity and conformity in their crimes It is Marsillia's pleasure or to say more truly the providence and pleasure of God that she rides from Santarem to Coimbra to visit a sicke Gentlewoman her Cousin German who dwelt there being only accompanied with her maâ—… 〈◊〉 on horse-backe and her foot boy Piscator to attend her and as shee comes within a small halfe league of that towne having sent away her man Andrea before and her foot boy Piscator being a very little distance behinde her there suddenly staâ—…s up a Hare betweene or close to her horse legges which so amazed her horse which was as hot and proud as the Gentlewoman his Mistresse whom he bore as comming off with all foure he throwes her to the ground and kicking her with his hinde feet at her fall hee strikes her in the fore-head and so dasheth out her brains God so ordaining that she had not the power to speake a word much lesse the grace or happinesse to repent her of her horrible sinnes A dultery Incest and Murther And thus was the lamentable and fearfull end which God gave to this gracelesse young Lady the which I cannot as yet passe over without annexing and remembring one remarkable point and circumstance therein in which the Justice and Mercy of God to both sexes and all ages and degrees of people doth miraculously resplend and shine forth for that very horse which threw and killed her was the verie same which shee formerly lent to her Brother De Perez and whereon he rid to Saint Sauiours when he by her instigation killed her waiting maid Mathurina Good God how just and wonderfull are thy decrees Deere Lord how immense and sacred is thy Iustice. But this is but the forerunner and as it were but the enterance into a further progression of this History For as her foote boy Piscator extreamely wept and bitterly cryed at the sight of this mournefull and tragicall death of his Lady and Mistris God had so decreed and provided that the next that passed by and who were sorrowfull spectators thereof were two Corigadors or Officers of Iustice of the Citie of Coimbra riding that way in their Coach to take the aire Whoâ—… compassion of the deplorable death of this faire unknowen young Gentlewoman they descend their Coach and having enquired and understood of her sorrowfull Foote boy what shee was they then with much respect and humanity cause 〈◊〉 dead Corps to be decently layd into their Coach which they shut and so mounting their Servants Horses they returne againe to Coimbra From whence they send her Man Andrea in all possible post hast to Santarem to acquaint his Master and her Father in law Don Idiaques with this lamentable death of his daughter in Law Marsillia and to pray him to repayre speedily thither to them to take order for her Buriall Andrea is no sooner departed for his Master but these two Corigadors consult on the fatality of this accident and very profitably consider for themselves that the horse who killed her and all her apparell and jewels by the custome and royalty of their City were devolved and forfeited to their jurisdiction to which effect they cause her rings chaines and bracelets to be taken from her and then her pockets likewise to bee carefully searcht for gold and jewels so as murther cannot belong concealed or underected wee may therefore here behold the wonderfull Providence and singular Justice of God for in one of her pockets they finde folded up in a rich cut-worke handkerchiefe the last Letter which her Husband Don Ivan had written and sent her from Madrid at the sight of this Letter one of these Corigadors is desirous to have it read publikely but the other being more humane and respective to the concealing of Ladies secrets which many times prove that of their honours hee contradicts it till at last God enlighâ—…ing their judgements and prompting and inspiring their hearts that the perusall of this Letter might peradventure import and report something which might teâ—…d to his service and conduce to his glory they fall then on a 〈◊〉 â—…wixt both their 〈◊〉 and so withdrawing themselves to a priâ—… chamber they there secretly oâ—…-reade this Letter where in with admiration and amazement they understand of the obscene Adultery and Incest of Don Idiaques with this his daughter in law Marsillia which was the cause of her Husband Don Ivan his absence from her in Spaine But at length when they proceed farther therein and so fall upon these words of Don Ivan to her in this his Letter I doe as much grieve as I both doubt and feare thou rejoycest at thy hand maid Mathurina's death and as I am ignorant of the manner so if my father and thy selfe have beene the cause thereof you have then all the reasons of the world to beleeve that God will in the end punish it to your confusion then led by the spirit of God they both concurre in one opinion that this their Adultery and this Murther of Mathâ—…rina did not only firmly reflect but equally take hold both on Idiaques and Marsillia and therefore that this her late deplorable and disasterous end was only a blow from God and the very true fore-runner and undoubted Harbinger of his owne to come When resolving to seize and imprison Idiaques as soone as he should arrive thither to Coimbria They hushing up this Letter and businesse in their owne bosomes doe then hold it fit to send for Marsillia's foot-man Piscator to come to them which he speedily doth They carefully enquire of him if his dead Lady had not sometimes a waiting Gentlewoman named Mathurina hee answered them yes and that she was lately murthered in the streets of Saint Saviours and that her murtherers were as yet unknowne They demand of him againe whose daughter she was hee informes them that her father is a Gentleman who dwels in
therefore most cheerfully and willingly gives him her heart and her selfe and hee doth the like to her which they mutually ratifie and confirme betweene them with many private kisses and amarous daliances as also with many secret protestations and solemne oaths But because Satan is therefore God will not be present at this their vitious contract and lascivious combination Thus Harcourt and his sister in law Masserina having no regard to their honours or reputations to their hearts or consciences to their soules or to God he pollutes his brothers bed in possessing his wives body and makes it both his delight and practise to defile and contaâ—…ate his glory in that of her shame and of his owne infamy And now his pockets and purse are againe fill'd and cramm'd with coine for he gives her kisses for her gold and she returnes him gold for his kisses Hereupon he puts himselfe againe into new and rich apparell but yet is so base unkinde and ingratefull to his owne sweet and vertuous wife that hee will give her neither gold nor new apparrell but permits her to goe in her old But to adde more miseries to her misery and more new griefes and calamities to her old because shee is equally an eye sore both to himselfe and to her hee will no longer permit her to live with him that he may the more often and the more freely and securely familiarize with his old sister or rather now with his new love Masserina So without any regard to her birth or respect to her youth and vertues or without considering that God had made her his wife and therefore the other halfe of himselfe he sends her home to her father at Troyes giving her but a poore little â—…agge and a ragged foot-boy onely with so much money as could hardly carry her thither giving her neither money nor apparell nor any thing else which was beseeming or fit for her although through the blacke and obscure clouds of his vices and ingratitude the bright and relucent Sun-beames of her excellent perfections and vertues in her selfe and of her constant affection to him will for ever most radiantly resplend and shine to all the world especially to those who had the honour to know her living or who shall now or hereafter reade her History after her death And never were those her sweet perfections and vertues either more conspicuous and glorious in her than now at her enforced exile and sorrowfull banishment and departure from her Husband For although he were cruelly unkinde or unkindely cruell to her yet knowing and considering him to be her Husband shee therefore holds it her duty and conscience still to attend and wait on him as his wife and not either so soone or so suddenly to separate her selfe from him When her eyes see her judgement knowes her heart doubts and her soule feares that then more than ever his vices wanted her prayers and his sins her vertues presence to seeke to rectifie and reforme them But although she descended so low from her selfe to him in her affection and humility as with bitter sighs and teares to cast her selfe on her knees to begge and request him that as by the lawes of mariage and nature and of conscience and grace she was obliged and bound so that she might enjoy the content and happinesse to live and die with him being infinitely contented and extreamly desirous as she then affirmed and againe and againe repeated and confirmed to him to participate and beare her part and share as well in his poverty as prosperity yet hee as an ignoble Gentleman and a base and vitious Husband having wholly taken away his heart and affection from this his sweet and vertuous wife La Precoverte and fully and absolutely given it to his lascivious sister in law Masserina hee I say is so hard hearted ingratefull and treacherous towards her as without any respect to her teares or regard to her prayers hee will no way permit her to live with him in St. Symplician or Sens at his brothers nor yet vouchsafe to bee pleased to goe and live with her to Troyes at her fathers But here we may observe his malice in his disdaine and his disdaine in his malice towards this deare and sweet young Gentlewoman his wife of whom God knowes and the world sees he is no way worthy for he will grant her neither of these her two most reasonable loving requests but indeed rather as a devill than a man and a tyrant than a Husband he with thundring looks and speeches commands her away his sight presence without once giving her so much as one poore kisse as he was bound in affection or which is yet lesse a poore farewell at their parting as hee was obliged both in conscience and christianity So this sweet disconsolate Gentlewoman in a manner breaking her breast with her signes and drowning her checks with her teares only with her poore little nag and ragged footboy is by her flinty hearted Husband turned out of his Brother Vimories house at Saint Simplician and so in this slender manner and base equipage enforced softly discontendedly and sorrowfully to ride home to the poore Gentleman her Father at Troyes yea and such was the malice and pollicy of Harcourt her cruell Husband that this sodaine departure of hers was purposely acted when his Brother Vimorye and his wife Masserina were at another mannour house of his some eight leagues off to the end that they might not see or take leaue of her nor she of them so allowing our sweet and sorrowfull La Precoverte by this time at Troyes with her aforesaid Father I will for a time there leave her to the exercise of her patience to the pietie of her prayers and to the pleasure and providence of God Now doth our disloyall and treacherous Harcourt at his pleasure frolique it out in Saint Simplician with his lacivious Sister in Law and Strumpet Mafferina yea they are now growne so impudent so carelesse so gracelesse in these their obscaene Dalliances that if Vimorye the Husband and Master doe not yet his Seruants cannot choose but take deepe notice and exact and perfect Knowledge thereof Onely â—…e obserues a late alteration in his Brothers fortunes that he is become farre braver in his apparell then accustomed and hath more store of Crownes in his pocket at his command then heretofore both to play and spend at his pleasure Onely from whence this his golden Myne should proceed hee knowes not except having heretofore made some progression and experiments in the Chymicall Science or mistery of Alchymy he had now found the Elixar of the Philosophers Stone but his cuâ—…sity in this Quaere proceeds no further much lesse his Iudgement but least of all his Suspition or Ielousie But the gracelesse Vanity and Ambition of Harcourt will yet flye a pitch and degree higher in the ayre of Ingratitude and treachery towards his Brother Vimorye For a little gold cannot redeeme his Lands
day goes home to his house with him visiteth his daughter He findes her to be weake leane and pale the which serves the better for his turne to coulour out this his bloody purpose to her When if there had been any humanity in his thoughts any Grace in his heart or any sparke of religion or pietie in his Soule the very sight of this sweet this harmelesse this beautifull young Gentlewoman would have moved him to compassion and not with hellish crueltie to resolve to poyson her But his sinnefull heart his seared Conscience and his ulcerated and virulent soule had in favour of gold made this compact with the Divell and therfore hee will advance and not retire in this his infernall resolution Hee feeles her pulse casts her estate in an Vrinall receives thirty Crownes of her Father for her cure and so bidding her to be of good comfort he administreth her two pills three mornings following whereof harmelesse sweet Gentlewoman within three dayes after shee sodainly dyes in her bed by night Tivoly affirming to her sorrowfull Father and Friends that before hee came to her the violency and inveteracy of her consumption had turned all her blood into water and exhausted and extenuated all the radicall humours of her life which opinion of this base and bloody Italian Mountebanke past current with the simplicitie of his beliefe and their Iudgements So he burieth his daughter and with her his chiefest earthly delight and ioy Within three daies after that this sorrowful and lamentable tragedy was acted This monster this Divell incarnate Tivoly leaves Troyes and poasts away to Nevers where he ravisheth Masserina's heart with the joyfull newes and assurance of La Precovertes death and buriall of whom he receives his other hundred and fifty Crownes the which according to her promise shee failes not presently to pay him downe And heere againe they solemnely sweare secrecie each to other of this their bloody fact Wretched Masserina feasting her heart with joy and surfeiting her thoughts with content to see the rivall and competitor in her loves La Precoverte thus dispatched and sent for heaven Shee now thinking to domineere alone in her Harcourts heart and affection esteemes her selfe a degree neerer to him in marriage that so of his Sister shee may become his Wife For this is the felicity and content whereat her heart aymeth and the delectation and ioy wherein her desires and wishes terminate But her Husband Vimories life doth dash these ioyes of hers in peeces as soone as she conceives them and strangles them if not in their birth yet in their cradle She finds Nevers to bee a pleasant Citie and Pougges a delightfull little place to live in and when the Spring is past and the great confluence of people retired and gone home to bee a place of farre more safety for them than Lyons Yea and shee affects and loves it farre the better because here it was she first heard and understood of La Precovertes death which as yet for a time she closely conceales to her selfe Wherefore shee sends Noell her man to Lyons to his Master and by her letter prayes him speedily to come and live with her at Nevers which shee affirmes to him is a pleasant City and that there she attends his arrivall and company with much affection and impatiencie Harcourt to please his Sweet-heart-Sister Masserina leaves Lyons and comes to her at Nevers where with thankes and kisses she ioyfully wellcomes him telling him that these bathes of Pougges have perfectly freed her of her ache but in her heart and mind shee well knowes it is the death of La Precoverte and not those bathes which hath both cured her doubts and secured her feares They have not lived in Nevers and Pougges above three weekes since his arrivall untill they there but by what meanes I know not understand of La Precovertes death whereat hee seemes nothing sorrowfull but she extreamly glad and ioyfull And by this time which is at least a whole yeare since their flight and departure from Saint Simplician and Sens they in their Travells and other gifts and expenses have consumed â—…nd expended a prettie Summe of their money In all which time wee must understand that Vimory hates his wife and Brother so exceedingly as hee in contempt of their crymes and detestation of their trecherous ingratitude scornes either to looke or send after them but the only revenge which he useth towards him in his absence he pretends a great Summe of money to bee due to him from him and in compensation thereof seizeth upon the remainder of his lands and by Order of Iustice gathereth up and collects his rents from his Tenants to his owne use and behoofe Which extreamely grieves Harcourt and afflicts Masserina who by this time seeing in what obscurity and considering in what continuall feare and eminent danger they live in As their lascivious affections so their irregular desires and irreligious resolutions looke one and the same way which is to send her Husband and his Brother Vimory to Heaven after his wife La Precoverte yea so resolute are they in this their bloody intentions and desires as they wish and pray for it with zeale and desire it with passion impatiency And now their malice is growen so resolute and their resolution so gracelesse in the contemplation and conceiving of this bloody 〈◊〉 as they bewray it each to other Masserina vowes to him that she can reape no true content either in her life or conscience before of his sister he make her his wife Nor I replies Harcourt before my brother Vimorie be in Heaven and I marry thee be thy husband here in earth When as a bloody Courtisan and Strumpet she gives him many thanks and kisses for this his affection to her and malice to his Brother Vimory for her sake when working upon the advantage of time occasion and opportunity Shee tells him that in her opinion the shortest and surest way is to dispatch him by poison Harcourt dislikes her judgement and plot as holding it no way safe in taking away his brothers life to entrust and hazard his owne at the coâ—…rtesie of a stranger at which speech of his shee blusheth and palleth as being conscious and memorative of what she had lately caused to be perpetrated by Tivoly Therfore he thinks to acquaint and imploy his owne man Noell in this bloudy businesse and proâ—… him two hundred Crownes and fortie more of yeerely pension during his life if hee will pistoll his Brother Vimory to death as he iâ—… walking in the fields But Noell is too honest a man and too good a Chriâ—… to stabbe at the majesty of God iâ—…â—…ling man his creature and Image and so absolutely denies his Master and although he be a poore man yet he rejects his offer as resolving never to purchase wealth or preferment at so deere a rate as the price of innocent blood whereat his Master bites his lip for discontent and
Rings from him out of a cupboarde the locke whereof he cunningly pickt and shut againe vallued at foure thousand Crownes and the same night fled upon that robbery towards Mascon thinking there to put himselfe on the River of Soan and so to slip downe to Lyons and from thence over the Alps into Italy De Boys makes a speedy and curious research for his thiefe whom as yet he could not finde or discover When hearing of this Mountebancke Tivolie his sodaine departure and flight he takes him to bee his thiefe pursues him in person and within foure leagues of Mascon apprehends him having to that end brought two Provosts or Sheriffes men with him in their Coats with their pistolls at saddle bow to assist him De Boys findes many of the Iewels and Rings about Tivoly and divers others wanting the which he could never recover So being brought backe to Sens hee was first imprisoned and then examined by the Senshall and the Procurer Fiscall When having neither cause nor colour to deny this robbery of his hee therefore freely confessed it the devill still assuring or rather betraying his hopes confidence and Iudgement That it is very possible and he thinkes very probable and feaseable to corrupt his Iudges with some of the Iewels which hee had closly conceald and hid about him But he shall speedily see the contrary For they seeing this Itallian Empericke by his owne confession guilty of this great and remarkeable robbery they condemne him to bee hâ—…nged the very next day for the same So having a Cordelier or Gray Fryer sent him that night to pryson to prepare his soule for Heaven Hee the next morning according to his sentence of condemnation is brought to his execution Where on the Ladder he to free his Conscience and soule doth constantly and sorrowfully Confesse that hee had formerly poysoned Madamoyselle La Precoverte daughter to Monseiur de La Vaquery of Troyes and that he was hired to doe it by the Lady Masserina of whom at Pougges he received two hundred and fifty Crownes and a small Saphir Ring to performe it as also fifty Crownes more which she gave him for his charges from Nivers to Troyes and so hee dies in the constant confession of this his foule and lamentable murder and is hanged for his Robbery and his body afterwards burnt for destroying and poysoning of this young Gentlewoman La Precoverte whom many Gentlemen and Ladies there present well knew and exceedingly bewayled for the goodnesse of her sweet nature and pure beauty as also for the excellencie of her honourable perfections and religious vertues And although the Spectators of this wretch Tivoly his death expected some speech from him at the taking of his last farewell of this world yet besides his former confession hee spake nothing but mumbled out some few words to himselfe which were not understood And thus he lived wretchedly as he dyed miserably giving no testimony of his contrition or sorrow to the World or of any sparke of griefe or repentance towards God Now before his body was fully consumed to ashes This our Wretched and bloudy Gentlewoman Masserina together with her old Lover but new Husband Harcourt are by order of the Judges of Sens apprehended and taken prisoners in their owne house of Saint Simplician as they were walking and Kissing together without any thought of danger muchlesse of death They hereat looke each on other with griefe and astonishment especially Masserina who understanding by some of those that apprehend them That it was the Italian Mountebanke Tivoly who at his execution accused her but not her Husband Harcourt for having and causing him to poyson her Sister La Precoverte shee then sees her selfe to bee a dead woman and no hope left her in the world of her life But every way a firme assurance and confidence of her death yet seeing Tivoly dead she resolves to stand upon her Iustification Shee is all in teares at this her lamentable disaster curseth the name and memory of Tivoly for ruining her with himselfe and now when it is too late shee blames herselfe of indiscretion for neglecting and not dealing effectually with Tivoly in prison to conceale this her fact and name As for her Husband Harcourt hee knowing himselfe absolutely Innocent of this murther hee grieves not for the death of his first wife La Precoverte but now extreamely mourneth and lamenteth to thinke of this of his second wife Masserina for live hee feares she cannot He bids her yet bee of good comfort and whispereth her secretly in her eare that hee will give all his estate and meanes to save her life or else that he will dye with her shee thankes him with a world of sighes and teares and rounds him as privately in his eare with many deepe oathes and asseverations that her tongue shall never dare to speake any one word or sillable to her Iudges which shall tend to the prejudice of his reputation safety or life and so they are by their apprehenders separated and then severally conveyed to the prison of Sens Masserina is first arraigned by the Iudges where according to her former resolution she not with teares but with high words and speeches stands upon her Innocency and Iustification they informe her how strongly Tivoly at his death declared shee had given him two hundred and fifty crownes a Saphir Ring and fifty crownes more to pay his charges at Pugges and how he at her instigation and in favour of this her gold poysoned La Precoverte at her father Monseiur La Vaqueris house at Troyes She termes Tivoly witch and devill yea worse then a thousand devils thus to accuse her fasly of this murther of her sister Precoverte whereof she vowes to God and the world to Earth and Heaven that she is as Innocent as that damned Italian was guilty thereof but the Iudges notwithstanding all these her great fumes and crackes doe presently condemne her to the racke the which as soone as shee saw and considered the sharpe nature of those exquisite torments then God was so mercifull to her soule by his grace though shee was not so heretofore to her body by the perpetration of her foule sinnes that shee would not permit her tender dainty limbes to be exposed to the misery of those cruell tortures but then and there confesseth her selfe to bee the author of poysoning La Precoverte her sister as Tivoly was the actor thereof when being here by her Iudges farther demanded whether her last Husband Harcourt were not likewise accessary with her in poysoning of his first wife La Precoverte shee with much assurance and constancy cleeres him hereof and is so kinde and loving to him as shee speakes not a word to them of his pistolling to death of her first Husband his Brother Vimorey So for this her foule and bloudy fact of hers she is condemned to bee hanged the next morning and for that night againe returned to prison where shee and her sorrowfull
disparity there is betwixt Earth and Heaven By the pleasure and visitation of God Hee is suddenly taken extreame sicke of a pestilent Feaver but not in his Master Harcourts house but in his owne Fathers house who dweltsome foure leagues thence at a parish called Saint Lazare and his Phisition yeelding him a dead man hee as a religious Roman Catholicke takes the extreame Vnction and then prepares himselfe to dye But hee is so morall and so good a Christian as the premises considered he resolves to carry his conscience pure and his Soule white and unspotted to Heaven Hee prayes his Father therefore that hee will speedily ride to Sens in whose Iurisdiction Saint Lazare was and to pray two of the three Iudges to come over to him for that hee hath a great Secret to reveale them now on his death bed which conduceth to the glory of God the service of the King and the good of his owne soule His Father accordingly rides to Sens and brings two of those Iudges speedily with him to his Sonnes bed side to whom in presence of three or foure more of his Fathers neighbours â—…hee very sicke in body but perfectly sound in minde tells him that his Master Harcourt would heretofore have had him pistoll his Brother Vimorye to death and proferred him two hundred Crownes in mony and forty Crownes Annuity during his life to performe it but hee refused it and knowing the said Mounseiur De Vimorye to bee since murthered by a pistoll hee therefore verily beleeves that it is either his said Master or some other for him which is guilty of that lamentable murther the true detection whereof he saies he leaves to God and to them and within halfe an houre after yea before they were departed his Fathers house this Noell dies Hereupon these Iudges wondring at the providence of God in the evidence of this dying man for the discovery of this lamentable murther They speedily send away their officers who apprehend Harcourt in his owne house of Saint Simplitian carowsing and froliking it in his best wine in Company of three or foure of his deboshed consorts and Companions and so they bring him to Sens Where lying in prison that night the next morning the Iudges of that City cause him to bee arraigned before them and Charge him with pistolling of his Brother Mounseiur De Vimorie to death which fortified and armed by the Devill hee strongly and stoutly denies they reade his man Noells dying Evidence against him to prove it So they adjudge him to the fiery torment of the Scarpines for the vindication of this truth the which hee endureth with a wonderfull fortitude and constancy and still denies it When their hearts being prompted from Heaven and their soules from God That hee was yet the undoubted murtherer of his Brother they the second time adjudged him to the racke whereon permitting himselfe to bee fastened and the tormenters giving a good touch at him God is more mercifull to his soule then his Tortures are to his body and so with teares in his eies hee confesseth that it was hee which pistolled his Brother Vimorye to death and which afterwards ranne him twice thorow the body with his Rapier Whereupon for this bloody and unnaturall fact of his His Iudges without any regard to his extraction or quality condemne him the next afternoone betweene foure and five of the clocke to bee broken a live on the wheele at the publike place of execution Some few Gentlemen his kinsfolke solicite his reprivall because as yet they dispaire of his pardon but their labours proves vaine and they purchase no reputation in seeking it for now all Sens and the adjacent Country cry fie on him and on his foule and enormous Crymes of Adultery and Fratricide So the next day at the houre and place appointed hee is brought to his execution where a mighty concourse of people both of Sens and the adjacent Country flocke to see this monster of nature take his last farwell of this world Being mounted on the Scaffold in a Tawny Sattin sute with a gold edge Hee confesseth himselfe guilty of murthering his Brother Vimorye and yet hee grieves farre more for the death of his last wife Masserina then hee doth for that of his first La Precoverte Hee demands forgivenesse of God and the world for this his foule crime of Fratricide and praies all who are there present to pray to Almighty God for the salvation of his soule and that they become more charitable and religious and lesse bloudy and prophane by his example So commending his soule unto God his body to the Earth from whence it came and marking himselfe three or foure times with the signe of the Crosse hee willingly suffers the Executioner to fasten his Legges and Armes upon the wheele the wheele the which as soone as he breakes with his iron barre untill hee have seized upon death and death on him And thus was the wretched lives and miserable and yet deserved deaths of these our cruell and inhumane gracelesse Murtherers and in this manner did the Triumphs of Gods Revenge justly surprize them to their shame and cut them off to their Confusion May we read this History to Gods glory and as often meditate thereon to our owne particular reformation and instruction GODS REVENGE AGAINST THE CRYING AND Execrable sinne of Murther Romeo the Laquey of Borlary kils Radegonda the Chamber maid of the Lady Felisanna in the Street and is hanged for the same Borlari afterwards hireth Castruchio an Apothecary to poyson her Husband Seignior Planeze for the which Castruchio is hanged and his body throwne into the River and Borlari beheaded and burnt IT is a thousand griefes and pities to see Christians who are honoured with that glorious title and appellation should so willfully and wretchedly lose it by imbrewing their guilty hands in the innocent bloud of their Christian Brethren and thereby to bereave our selves of that rich ornament and inestimable Iewell which God in his Sonne Christ Iesus hath lent us for the planting of our Faith and given us for the extirpation of our prophanesse and the rooting out of our Impiety But this is the subtle malice and malitious subtilty of Sathan the professed enemy and Arch-Traytor of our soules as also of his infernall Agents and Factors who thereby prove and make themselves to bee the firebrands and incendiaries of their owne felicity and safety And because the examples of the wicked doe strike apprehension and feare to the godly and that the punishment and death of murtherers doth fortifie the Charity and foment and confirme the Innocency of the living Therefore for that Reason and to this end I have purposly given this next History a place in my Booke wherein wee shall see Choller Malice and Revenge to act many deplorable and bloudy parts Let us reade it with a zealous feare and a Christian fortitude and so wee shall assuredly hate this foule and crying Sinne iâ—…â—…thers and religiously
point of Planezes Rapier and of his pleasure No no Borlary is too much a man to be so much a Christian and too much the member of Satan to bee so much the childe of God For having formerly given up his heart to the turpitude of lascivious desires and lust now as a limbe and agent of the devill he will wholly abandon it to infernall rage and hellish revenge sor knowing Planeze to be both the author and object of his dishonour and the instrument and cause of his disgrace hee therefore retaines this diabolicall and bloody Aphorisme in his heart that as long as he lives it will live with him and when he dies will die with him and therefore to refetch his honour out of his infamy his heart wholly sacrificing to malice and his thoughts and resolutions to revenge he most ingratefully and desperately resolves to murther Planeze or at least to cause him to be murthered Lo here the wofull estate and wretched resolution of this execrable Gentleman Borlari and what a monstrous ingratitude and prodigious cruelty is this in him to conspire his death of whom in a manner he but rightly now received his life he little knowes or which is worse hee will not know that revenge still proves as pernitious as pleasing to their authors and that murther endeth in as much true misery as it beginnes in false content and Ioy for it is a better Oblation and an odious sacrifice to the Lord who is the God of peace and the father of all vnity and charity But the devill is so familiar a guest and so frequent a counsellor to Borlari that he wretchedly vowes and execrably sweares that Planeze shall no longer live but dye Once he was of opinion either to pistoll or poniard him in the street by night but then againe seeing the eminencie of that danger in the misfortune of his Laquey Romeo he rejects it as ruinous and resolves on poyson which hee thinkes is the shortest and safest way for him to send him for Heaven and thinkes none so fit for his purpose to give and administer it to him as Planezes owne Apothecary Castruchio being the more confident in this his choice because he knowes him to be a wonderfull poore man and withall extreamely vitious and debaushed as neither fearing nor caring for God but more an Atheist than a Christian and more a devill then a catholike and therfore beleeves that a little mony will act wonders in his heart and resolution Neither doth he faile in his judgement or deceive himselfe in the hopes of his choyse for he no sooner proffereth him three hundred Dukatons to poyson Planeze one halfe in hand and the other when it is performed but he accepts thereof ingageth himselfe by hand and oath speedily to dispatch and finish it and so like two Factors or furies of Hell both of them sweare secresie each to other herein Borlary longing and Castruchio desiring to finish this Tragedy on Planeze that hee might likewise touch the last one hundred and fifty Dukatons The Spring approching wherein Planeze everyyeare for the preservation of his health was accustomed to take phisicke of Castruchio hee no sooner sent for him to that effect but first purging then bleeding him he then artificially perswades him to take a vomit the next morning whereunto Planeze easily consents so he administreth it to him and therein infusing poyson he within six daies after dies thereof when Castruchio demanding his other one hundred and fifty dukatons Borlari speedily paies it him with much content joy and delectation But let the first know and the second remember that it is the price of â—…nocent bloud The order of our History leades us now as it were by the hand to our sorâ—…owfull young widow Felisanna who poore soule not dreaming any way in â—…he world either of poyson or of Borlari is ready to weepe her selfe to death â—…hat shee must survive and cannot dye with her deere and sweet husband Planeze and that as one bedde so one grave might containe them yea her griefe is so great and her sorrowes so infinite for the losse of this her other part of her selfe that neither her father kinsfolkes or friends can possibly comfort her for still she fees him before her eies as if hee were not buried in his grave but in her heart or that it was wholly impossible for him to dye as long as she lived Which excesse of sorrowes sighes and teares of hers so withered the roses and lillies of her beauty and so ecclipsed the lustre of her sparkling eyes that to the eyes and judgements of all those who saw or knew her she become so pale and leane as she was no longer Felissanna but only the poore sicke Anatomy of Felisanna We have seene this wretched Gentleman Borlari and this execrable Apothecary Castruchio commit this horrible murther upon the person of noble and Generous Planeze and wee shall not goe farre before wee shall see the sacred Iustice and just punishments of God to surprise and oretake them for the same For God is now resolved to triumph ore those bloudy miscreants and although they have so closely acted and perpetrated this their lamentable murther as their are no earthly eyes to detect nor witnesse to give in evidence against them for the same yet our good and gratious God who who is the true searcher of our hearts and reines will to his glory and their confusion bring this to light by an accident worthy of our deepest consideration and of our most serious and religious observation The manner wherof is thus This wretched Apothecary Castruchio having received his other hundred dukatons of Borlari as we have formerly understood for minishing this bloody businesse and being as wee know of a most vitious and debaushed life hee had already in his riots and prodigalities spent and consumed all his estate And now this three hundred Dukatons which received of Borlari for performing this bloudy businesse makes him by many degrees farre worse then he was before for as by Gods sacred and secret providence it was impossible to prosper with him so his prophane vices and sinnes and his beastly pleasures and prodigalities made it consume and melt away as snow against the Sunne in such sort that it seemed to him that he was a thiefe to himselfe and that one of his hands and pockets hourely cozened and betrayed the other And although for a time he bore this his vitious course of life very close and secret from the eye and knowledge of the world whereby his credit farre exceeded his estate soafter the committing of this foule murther both his Estate credit and all went to wracke and spoyle for hee left nothing either unspent or unpawned and which is yet worse he fell into many arrerages and debts which at last grew so clamorous especially when his prodigall and and beastly life of whoring drunkennesse and dicing came to be divulged and spred to the world that by three
to his villany he seemes to be wonderfully sad and passionately sorrowfull for the same and so requesteth the Criminall officers both in and about the City to make curious research and enquiry for the murtherers of his wife which they doe but this hypocriticall sadnesse and false sorrow of his though to the eye of the world it prevaile for a time yet to that of Gods mercy and justice in the end it shall little availe him so he gives her a poore and obscure buriall every way unworthy the sweetnesse of her beauties and the excellencie of her vertues Her father Moron hath speedy notice of this deplorable death of his daughter who considering how she had cast away her selfe upon so bad a Husband as Lorenzo though outwardly hee seeme to bewaile and lament it yet inwardly he much cares not for it and for her little sonne Thamaso his few yeares dispenceth with his capacity from understanding much lesse from lamenting and mourning for this disastrous end of his mother A moneth after the cruell murther and buriall of this vertuous yet unfortunate young woman Fermia her bloudy and execrable husband Lorenzo is yet so devoid of feare and grace as he goes to Savona to request his father in law Moron to give him some maintenance in regard he had no portion from him with his wife his daughter as also to see his sonne Thomaso But Moron by his servants sends him a peremptory refusall to both these his requests and so will neither see him nor suffer him to see his sonne but absolutely for ever forbids him his house Whereat Lorenzo all in choller leaves Savona and returnes to Genova where selling away his wives old cloaths to provide him new he seeks many maidens and widdowes in mariage but the fame of his bad life and infamous carriage and deportment with his late wife is so fresh and great that they all disdaine him so that utterly despairing ever to raise himselfe and his fortunes by mariage he forsakes and leaves Genova inrols himselfe a Bandetti and for many yeares together practiseth that theevish profession to the which we willl eave him and speake a little of his young and little sonne Thomaso Old Moron traines up this his Grand-child Thomaso very vertuously and industriously and at the age of fourteene yeares bids him chuse and embrace any trade he best liketh When Thomaso exceedingly delighting in limming graving and imagery he becomes a Goldsmith and in foure or five yeares after is become a singular expert and skilfull workman in his trade His Grandfather loves him dearly and tenderly and intends to make him his heire but Thomaso led as I thinke by the immediate hand and providence of God or out of his owne naturall disposition and inclination being of a gadding humour to travell abroad and see other Cities and Countreyes and having a particular itching desire to see Rome which he understood is one of the very prime and chiefe places of the world for rich and curious Goldsmiths Hee finding a french ship of Marseilles which by contrary winds stopt in the Road of Savona bound up for Civita Vechia very secretly packes up his trunke and trinkets and so goes along in that ship Now as soone as his Grandfather Moron understands hereof he very much grieves at this his rash and sodaine departure So Thomaso arrives at Civita Vechia goes up to Hostia by sea and thence on the River Tiber to Rome where hee becomes a singular ingenious Gold-Smith and thrives so well as after a few yeares he there keepes shop for himselfe and constantly builds up his residence In all this long tract and progression of time which my true information tels me is at least twenty foure yeares his father Lorenzo continues a theevish Bandetti in the state of Genova and Luca where hee commits so many Lewd robberies and strange rapines depraedations and thefts as that country at last becomes too hot for him and he too obnoxious for it so he leaves it and travelleth into Thoscany and to the faire famous Citty of Florence which is the Metropolis therof where with the moneys he had gotten by the revenewes of his robberies he againe sets up his old trade of a Baker in which profession he knew himselfe expert and excellent and here hee setleth himselfe to live and dwell takes a faire commodious house and lookes out hard for some rich old maiden or young widdow to make his new wife But God will prevent his thoughts and frustrate his designes and desires herein For as yet his bloudy thoughts have not made their peace with his soule nor his soule with his all seeing and righteous God for the cruell murthering of his old wife Fermia which as an impetuous storme and fierce tempest will sodainely befall him when hee least dreams or thinkes hereof yea by a manner so strange and an accident so miraculous that former ages have seldome if ever paralleld or givenus a precedent hereof and wherein the power and providence the mercy and Iustice of God resplends with infinite lustre and admiration and therefore in my poore judgment and opinion I deeme it most worthy of our observation as we are men and of our remembrance as we are christians Charles now Cardinall of Medicis going up to Rome to receive his hat of this present Pope Vrban VIII and Cosmos the great duke of Florence his Brother in honour to him and their illustrious bloud and family whereof they are now chiefe resolving to make his entry and aboade in that Citty of Rome to be stately and magnificent Hee causeth his house and traine in all points to be composed of double officers and Servants to whom he gives rich and costly liveryes and among others our Lorenzo is found out elected and pricked downe to be one of his Bakers for his owne trencher in that Iourney where in Rome he flaunts it out most gallantly and bravely in rich apparell and is still most deboshed and prodigall in his expenses before any other of the Cardinals meniall Seruants without ever any more thinking or dreaming of the murthering of his wife Fermia but rather absolutely beleives that as he so God had wholly buryed the remembrance of that bloudy fact of his in perpetuall silence and oblivion But the devill will deceive his hopes For now that Lamentable murther of his cryes aloud to Heaven and to God for vengeance Wherein we shall behold and see that it is the providence and pleasure of God many times to punish one sinne in and by another yea and sometimes one sin for another as reserving it in the secret will and inscrutable providence to punish Capitall offenders whereof murtherers are infallibly the greatest both when where and how he pleaseth for earthly and sinfull eyes have neither the power to pry into his heavenly decrees nor our minde and capacity to dive into his divine actions and resolutions because many times hee accelerateth or delayeth their punishments as they shall
and affirmed they now in expiation of this her cruell murther adjudge her likewise to bee hanged the next day at the common place of execution in company of Pierya although her aged sorrowfull Father Seignior Strent being well nigh weighed down to his grave with the extreme grief and sorrow of these his misfortunes and calamities profered the Iudges and the great Duke the greatest part of his estate and lands to save this his youngest and now his only Daughter Amarantha But his labor proved lost and his care and affection vaine in this his sute and solicitation because those learned Iudges and this prudent and noble Duke grounded their resolutions and pleasures upon this wholsom and true Maxime That Iustice is one of the greatest Colossus and strongest columns of kingdoms and common-weales and the truest way and means to preserve them in florishing prosperity and glory and consequently that all wilfull and premeditated murtherers cannot bee either too soone exterminated or too severely punished and cut off from the world So Amar antha with more choller then sorrow and Pierya with more feare then choller are now both sent backe to their prisons and that night Streni sends his Daughter and the Iudges send Pierya some Fryers and Nunnes to prepare their soules for heaven but in honour of the truth I must affirme with equall griefe and pitty that both these two female monsters had their hearts so sealed and their soules so seared up with impiety that neither of them could there be perswaded or drawne either to thinke of repentance or of God Whiles thus Florence resounds of these their foule and inhumane crimes as also of their just condemnations the next morning about ten of the clocke they are brought to the destin'd place of execution there to receive their condigne punishments for the same Pierya first mounts the Ladder who made a short speech at her death to this effect That her desire to obtaine Bernardo for her husband had chiefely drawne her to commit this murther on her Lady Babtistyna and that it was farre more her Sister Amarantha's malice to her then her owne which seduced her to this bloudy resolution and that this her owne shamefull death was not halfe so grievous to her as the unfortunate end of her lover Bernardo whom shee there affirmed to the world and tooke it to her death that shee loved a thousand times dearer then her owne life with many other vaine and ridiculous speeches tending that way and which savoured more of her fond affection to him then of any zeale or devotion to God and therefore I hold them every way more worthy of my silence then of my relation and so shee was turned over To second whose unfortunate and shamefull end now our bloudy and execrable Amarantha with farre more beauty then contrition and bravery then repentance ascends the Ladder who to make her infamy the more famous had purposly dighted and apparelled her selfe in a plaine blacke Sattin gowne with silver lace and a deepe-laced Cambricke Ruffe of a very large Set with her hayre unvailed and decked with many roses of filver Ribband At her ascent her extraction beauty and youth begate as much pitty as her bloudy and unnaturall crime did detestation in the eyes and hearts of all her spectatours When after a pause or two shee vainely composing her countenance more with contempt then feare of death there to a world of people who flocked from all parts of the City and Countrey to see her dye with a wondrous boldnesse confessed That shee had not onely caused her Sister Babtistyna to bee stifled in her bed by Bernardo and Pierya but that her sayd Sister Babtistyna and her selfe had formerly poysoned their elder Sister Iaquinta and that it was onely their imperiousnesse and pride towards her which drew her to this resolution and revenge against them both the which shee affirmed shee could now as little repent as heretofore remedy and â—…hat shee more sensibly lamented and grieved for the sorrowes of her Fathers â—…fe then for the shame and infamy of her owne death when without any shew â—…f repentance without any speech of God or which is lesse without so much as once looking up towards heaven or inviting or praying her spectatours to pray to God for her soule shee with a gracelesse resolution and prophane boldnesse conjured her Executioner speedily to performe his office and duety which by the command of the Magistrate he-forthwith did So this wretched Amarantha was hanged for her second murther and then by a second decree and sentence of the Criminall Iudges her body is after dinner burnt to ashes for her first who likewise in honour to Iustice and to the glory of God doe also cause the dead body of Bernardo for two whole dayes to bee hanged by his feet in his shirt to the same Gallowes and then to bee cast into the River of Arno. And here the Iudges also to shew themselves themselves were once of opinion to have unburyed Babtistyna and likewise to have given her dead body some opprobrious punishment for being accessary with her Sister Amarantha to poyson their elder Sister Iaquinta but having no other evidence or proofe hereof but onely the tessimony of her condemned dying Sister Amarantha whom it was more probable then impossible shee might speake it more out of malice then truth as also that God had already afflicted a deplorable end and punishment to her they therefore omitted it And thus was the deserved ends and condigne punishments of these wretched and execrable murtherers and in this manner did the just revenge and sacred justice of God meete and triumph over them and their bloudy crimes And now here fully to conclude and shut up this History in all its circumstances The griefes and sorrowes of this unfortunate old Father was so great and infinite for the untimely and deplorable deaths of all these his three onely Daughters and Children that although piety and religion had formerly taught him that the afflictions of this life are the joyes of that to come yet being wholly vanquished and depressed with all these his different bitter crosses and calamities hee left Florence and retired himselfe to a solitary life in Cardura where hee not long survived them but dyed very pensively and mournfully GODS REVENGE AGAINST THE CRYING AND EXECRAble Sinne of Murther HISTORIE XXII Martino poysoneth his Brother Pedro and murthereth Monfredo in the streete He afterwards growes mad and in confession reveales both these his murthers to Father Thomas his Ghostly Father who afterwards dying reveales it by his Letter to Cecilliana who was Widdow to Monfredo and Sister to Pedro and Martino Martino hath first his right hand cut off and then is hanged for the same AS it is a dangerous wickednesse to contrive and plot murther So much more it is a wretched and execrable one to finish and perpetrate it for to kill our Christian Brother who figuratively beares the image of God is an act
and loved don Martino farre better then him so his death did not much afflict or grieve her and farre lesse his brother don Martino But for his sister Cecilliana as soone as shee understood and heard hereof shee is so appalled with griefe and daunted with sorrow and despayre that shee sends a world of sighes to heaven and a deluge of teares to earth for the death of this her best and dearest brother Her husband don Monfredo for henceforth so wee must call him likewise infinitely laments don Pedro's death as having lost a constant friend and a deare and incomparable brother in law in him and yet all the meanes which hee can use to comfort this his sorrowfull wife hath will but not power enough to effect it for still shee weepes and sobs and still her heart and soule doe prompt and tell her that it is one brother who hath killd another and that her brother don Martino is infallibly the murtherer of his and her brother don Pedro but she hath onely presumption no proofes for this her suspicion and therefore shee leaves the detection and issue hereof to time and to God Now by this time wee must understand that dona Catherina hath perfect newes that it is Monfredo who hath stolne away her daughter Cecilliana and keepes her at his house of Valdebelle in the Countrey but as yet shee knowes not that hee hath marryed her wherefore being desirous of her returne not for any great affection which shee now bore her but onely to accomplish her former desires in frustrating her marriage with Monfredo and in marrying her to a Nunnery shee againe still provok'd and egg'd on by the advice of her sonne don Martino sends him to Valdebelle to crave her of Monfredo and so to perswade and hasten her returne to her to Burgos but writes to neither of them Don Martino arrives thither and having delivered don Monfredo and his sister Cecilliana his mothers message for her returne to Burgos hee then vainely presumes to speake thus to them from himselfe Hee first sharpely rebukes her of folly and disobedience in flying away from his and her mother and then with more passion then iudgement checkes him of dishonour to harbour and shelter her that this was not the true and right way to make her his wife but his strumpet or at least to give the world just cause to thinke so and if he intended to preserve her prosperity and honor and not to râ—…ine it that hee should restore his mother her daughter and himselfe his sister and no longer retayne her but speakes not a word of his brother don Pedro's death much lesse makes any shadow to mourne or shew to grieve or sorrow for it His sister Cecilliana at his first sight is all in teares for the death of her brother don Pedro and yet extreamly incens'd with him for these his base speeches towards her and her Monfredo she once thought to have given him a hot and chollericke reply but at last considering better with her selfe as also to prevent Monfredo whom she saw had an itching desire to fit him with his answer she then in generall termes returnes him this short reply That shee is now accomptable to none but to God for her actions who best knowes her heart and resolutions and therefore for her returne to her mother at Burgos or her stay here at Valdebelle shee wholly referres it to don Monfredo whose will and pleasure therein shall assuredly bee hers because shee hath and still findes him to bee a worthy and honourable Gentleman when before shee conclude her speech to him shee tells him that shee thought his comming had beene to condole with her for the death of their brother Don Pedro but that with griefe shee is now enforced to see the contrary in regard his speeches and actions tend to afflict not to comfort her and rather to bee the argument of her mourning than the cause of her consolation But Monfredo being touched to the quicke with these ignoble and base speeches of Don Martino both to himselfe and Cecilliana he is too generous long to digest them with silence and therefore preferring his affection to her before any other earthly respect and her reputation and honour dearer than his life hee composing his countenance to discontent and anger returnes him this answere That if any other man but himselfe had given him the least part of those unworthy speeches both against his honour as also against that of his sister Cecilliana his Rapier not his tongue should have answered him That his affection and respects to her are every way vertuous and honourable and that shee is and shall be more safer here in Valdebelle than the life of his noble brother Don Pedro was in his mothers house at Burgos That as the young Ladie his sister is pleased to referre her stay or returne to him so reciprocally to requite her courtesie doth hee to her and for his part hee is fully resolved not to perswade much lesse to advise her to put her selfe either into her Mothers protection or his courtesie for that hee is fearefull iâ—… not confident in this beliefe that the one may proove pernitious and the other fatall and ruinous to her And so with cold entertainment and short ceremonies Don Martino is enforced to returne to Burgos to his Mother without his Sister where assoone as hee is arrived hee tells his Mother of his Sister Cecilliana's constant resolution from whence hee thinkes it impossible to draw or divert her because he finds Monfredo of the same opinion but whether hee have married her or no hee knowes not neither could he informe himselfe thereof And here yet Don Martino is so cautious to his Mother as he speakes not a word or syllable of any speech or mention they had of the death of his brother Don Pedro. But as soone as hee had left his Mother and retyred himselfe to his chamber then hee thinkes the more thereof yea then hee againe and againe remembers what dangerous speeches he publikely received from his Sister Cecilliana and Monfredo concerning that his sudden death whereby they silently meant and tacitely implied no lesse than murther Wherefore hee is so helliâ—…h and bloudy minded that hee resolves shortly to provide a playster for this sore and hee knowes that to make their tongues eternally silent hee cannot better or safer performe it than by murthering them whereof hee sayes the reason is apparantly and pregnantly true for as long as that suspition lives in them hee therefore can never live in safetie but in extreame danger himselfe But because of the two Monfredo seemed to intend and portend him the greatest choller and the most inveterate rage therefore as a limbe of the Devill or rather as a Devill incarnate himselfe hee resolves to begin with Monfredo first and as occasions and accidents shall present then with his sister Cecilliana after without ever having the grace to thinke of his Conscience or Soule or of
and number lamented and pittied that so proper and noble a Gentleman should first deserve and then receive so untimely a death When after the Priests and Friers have here prepared and directed his soule hee aseending the Scaffold with some what a low voice and dejected and sorrowfull countenance he delivered this short speech That in regard hee knowes that now when he is to take his last leave of this life to charge his conscience with the concealing of any capitall crime is the direct and true way to send his soule to hell in stead of heaven hee will now therefore reveale that hee is yet more execrable and bloudy then his Iudges thinke or know or his spectatours imagine for that he not only hired Pierot his Fathers Miller to murther Marieta but also the Apothecary Moncallier to poyson his owne brother Valfontaine of both which foule and bloudy crimes of his he now freely confesseth himselfe guilty and now from his heart and soule sorrowfully lamenteth and repenteth them that his filthy lust and inordinate affection to women was the first cause and his neglect of prayer to God the second which hath justly brought him to this shamefull end and confusion that therefore he beseecheth all who are present to bee seriously forewarned of the like by his wofull Example and that in Christian charity they will now joyne their devout prayers with his to God for his soule When on the Scaffold praying a little whiles silently to himselfe kneeling and then putting off his Doublet hee commits himselfe to the Executioner who at one blow severed his head from his shoulders But this punishment and death of Quatbrisson suffiseth not now to give full content and satisfaction to his Iudges who by his owne confession considering his inhumane and deplorable poysoning of his owne brother Valfontaine they as soone as hee is dead and before he be cold adjudge his body to bee taken downe and there burnt to Ashes at the foot of the Gibbet which accordingly is performed And here our thoughts and curiosity must now returne poast from Rennes to Vannes and from wretched Quatbrisson to the base and bloudy Miller Pierot whom God and his Iudges have now ordayned shall likewise smart for this his lamentable murther on poore and harmelesse Marieta Hee is brought to the Gallowes in his old dusty mealy Suite of Canvas where a Priest preparing him to dye hee either out of impiety or ignorance or both delivereth this idle speech to the people That because Marieta was young and faire hee is now heartily sorry that he had not married her and that if he had beene as wise as covetous the two hundred Crownes or the Lease of his Mill which his yong master Monsieur Quatbrisson profered him might have made him winke at her dishonesty and that although she were not a true Mayd to her selfe yet that she might have proved a true and honest wife to him with many other frivolous words and lewd speeches tending that way which I purposely omit and resolve to passe over in silence as holding them unworthy either of my relation or the Readers knowledge when not having the grace once to name God to speake of his soule to desire heaven or to seeme to bee any way repentant and sorrowfull for this his bloody offence hee is stripped naked having onely his shirt fastned about his waste and with an Iron barre hath his legs thighes armes and brest broken alive and there his miserable body is left naked and bloudy on the Wheele for the space of two dayes thereby to terrifie and deterre the beholders from attempting the like wretched crime And the Iudges of Vannes being certifyed from the Court of Parliament at Rennes that Quatbrisson at his death charged the Apothecary Moncallier to have at his hiring and instigation poysoned his brother Valfontaine they hold the Church to be too holy a place for the body and buriall of so prophane and bloudy a Villaine When after well neere a whole yeares time that he was buried in Saint Francis Church in that Towne they cause his Coffin to be taken up and both his body and it to bee burnt by the common Hang-man and his Ashes to bee throwne into the aire Which to the Ioy of all the Spectators is accordingly performed GODS REVENGE AGAINST THE CRYING AND EXECRAble Sinne of Murther HISTORIE XXV Vasti first murthereth his Sonne George and next poysoneth his owne Wife Hester and being afterwards almost killed by a mad Bull in the Fields hee revealeth these his two murthers for the which he is first hanged and then burnt TO religious hearts there can nothing be so distastfull as Sinne nor any Sinne so odious and execrable as Murther for it being contrary to Nature and Grace the very thought much more the act thereof strikes horrour to their hearts and consciences Wherefore if this foule and bloudy Sinne bee so displeasing to godly men how infinitely more detestable is it then to God himselfe who made all living creatures to serve Man and onely created Man purposely to serve Himselfe But as Choller and Malice proceede from the passions of men so doth Murther from the Deuill for else wee should not so often and frequently see it perpetrated in most Countryes and Cities of the World as we doe A mournefull Example whereof I here produce to your view and serious consideration THe place of this History is Fribourg an antient city of Switzerland which gives name to one of the Divisions or Cantons of that famous and warlike country Wherein of fresh memory dwelt a rich Burger named Peter Vasti who had to his wife a modest discreet and vertuous woman named Hester by whom he had one only child a Sonne called George Vasti whom God sent them the latter end of the first yeare of their marriage and for the tearme of some ten yeares following this marryed couple lived in most kinde and loving sort each with other yea their hearts and inclinations so sympathized in mutuall and interchangeable affection as they held and reputed none of their Neighbours so rich in content as themselves for she was carefull of her Family and he very diligent and industrious to maintaine it both of them being chaste and continent in themselves very religious towards God and exceeding charitable affable and courteous to all their Neighbours and Acquaintance onely they are so temperate in their drinking as â—…ee would not and shee could not bee tainted with that beastly Vice of Drunkenâ—…esse whereunto that Countrey and the greatest part of that People are but too excessively addicted and subject So that had Vasti still imbraced and followed those Vertues in the course and conduction of his life hee had not then defiled this History with the profusion of so many sinnes nor besprinckled it with the effusion of so much innocent bloud nor consequently have administred so much sorrow to the Reader in perusing and knowing it but as contrary Causes produce contrary Effects so
forth little or no encrease his vines wither and die away all his horses are stolen from him and most of his cattle sheepe and goats dye of a new and a strange disease For being as it were mad they wilfully and outragiously run themselves to death one against the other hee is amazed at all these his unexpected wonderfull losses and crosses and yet this vild Miscreant and inhumane Murtherer hath his conscience still so seared up and his heart and soule so stupified and obdurated by the Devill that he hath neither the will power or grace to looke up to Heaven and God and so to see and acknowledge from whom and for what all these afflictions and calamities befall him He growes into great poverty and againe to raise him and his fortunes hee now knowes no other art or meanes left him then to marry his strumpet Salyna to whom hee hath given great store of gold and on whom as wee have formerly heard he hath spent the greatest part of his lands and estate Hee seekes her in marriage but hearing of his great losses and seeing of his extreme poverty shee will not derogate from her selfe but very ingratefully denies and disdaines him and will not henceforth permit him to enter into her house much lesse to see or speake with him hee is wonderfull bitten and galled with this her unkind repulse and then is driven to such extreme wants and necessity as he is enforced to sell and pawne away all those small trifles and things which are left him thereby to give himselfe a very poore maintenance So as a wretched Vagabond whom God had justly abandoned for the enormity of his delicts and crimes he now roames and straggleth up and downe the streets of Fribourg and the countrey parishes and houses thereabouts without meate money or friends and which is infinitly worse then all without God But all these his calamities and disasters are but the Harbingers and Fore-runners of greater miseries and punishments which are now suddenly and condignly prepared to surprize and befall him whereof the Christian Reader is religiously prayed to take deep notice and full observation because the glory of God and the Triumphs of his Revenge in these his Iudgements doe most divinely appeare and shine forth to the whole world therein Vasti on a time returning from Cleraux towards Fribourg where hee had beene to begge some money or meate of Salyna either whereof she was so hard hearted to deny him the Providence and pleasure of God so ordained it That in the very same Meadow and place and neere the same time and hoâ—…e which formerly he and his Sonne George had their conference there being very faint and weary he lay himselfe downe to sleepe there at the foote of a wild Chesnut-tree yea he there slept so soundly the Sunne being very hot that he could not heare the great noyse and out cry which many people there a farre off made in the Meadow for the taking of a furious mad Bull This Bull I say no doubt but being sent from God ran directly to our sleeping and snoring Vasti tost him twice up in the ayre on his hornes tore his nose and so wonderfully mangled his face that al who came to his assistance held him dead but at last they knowing him to bee Vasti of Fribourg and finding him faintly to pant and breath for life against death they take off his clothes and apparell and then apparantly discover and see that this mad Bul with his hornes hath made too little holes in his belly whereof at one of them a smal peece of his gut hangs out they carry him to the next cottage and laying him downe speechlesse they and himselfe beleeve hee cannot live halfe an houre to an end and as yet he still remaines speechlesse but at last breathing a little more and well remembring himselfe and seeing this his disasterous accident it pleased the Lord in the infinitnesse of his goodnesse to open the eyes of his faith to mollifie the flâ—…ntinesse of his heart to reforme the deformity of his conscience to purge and cleanse the pollution of his soule for now he laies hold of Christ Iesus and his promises forsakes the Devill and his treacheries and God now so ordaineth and disposeth of him that for want of other witnesses seeing himselfe on the brink and in the jawes of death he now becommeth a witnesse against himselfe and confesseth before all the whole company That he it was neere Losanna who murthered his owne Sonne George with a Pistoll and who since poysoned his owne wife Hesâ—… with a muske Mellon for which two foule and inhumane facts of his he said he from his heart and soule begged pardon and remission of God Heâ—… upon this his confession some of the company ride away to Fribourg and acquaint the Criminall Officers of justice thereof who speedily send two Chirurgions to dresse his wounds and foure Sergeants to bring Vasti thither alive if possibly they can They search his wounds and although they find them mortall yet they believe hee may live three or foure dayes longer So they bring him to Fribourg in a Cart and there hee likewise confesseth to the Magistrates his two aforesayd bloudy and cruell Murthers drawne thereunto as he saith by the treacherous alluremements and temptations of the Devill So the same day they for satisfaction of these his unnaturall crimes doe condemne him to be hanged and then his body to be burnt to ashes which is accordingly executed in Fribourg in presence of a great concourse of people who came to see him take his last farewell of the world but they thinking and expecting that he would have made some religious speech at his death he therein deceived their hopes and desires for he only prayed to himselfe privatly and then repeating the Lords prayer and the Creed and recommending his soule to God and his body to Christian buriall without once mentioning or naming his son George his wife Hester or his strumpet Salyna he lifting up his eies to heaven was turned over and although being a tall and corpulent man he there brake the rope and fell yet he was found starke dead on the ground And thus was the wretched life and deserved death of this bloudy Monster of Nature Vasti May we therefore reade this his History to Gods glory and to our owne reformation The End of the Fifth Booke Iunij xiijo. 1634. PErlegi hunc Librum cui titulus The 5 th part of the Triumphs of Gods Revenge against the crying and execrable sinne of Murther unâ cum Epistolâ Dedicatoriâ ad illustriss Comitem de Bedford qui quidem Liber continet Paginas circa 103. in quibus nihil reperio sanae Doctrinae aut bonis Moribus contrarium quò minus cum utilitate publicâ imprimatur sub eâtamen conditione ut si non intr à annum proximè sequentem Typis mandetur haec licentia sit omninò irrita GVILIELMVS HAYVVOOD Capellan
sugred speeches and protestations of their pretended innocency but consult between themselves what here to resolve on for the vindication of this truth So at last they hold it expedient and requisite first to expose Astonicus to the torments of the Racke the which hee being a strong and robustuous man hee endureth with a firme resolution and constancy every way above himselfe and almost beyond beliefe and still confesseth nothing but his innocency and ignorance of this deplorable fact whereof the Judges resting not yet satisfied they within an houre after adjudge Donato to the tortures of the Scarpines who being a little timbred man of a pale complexion and weake constitution of body his right foote no sooner feeles the unsufferable fury of the fire and his tormentors then confidently promising him all desired favour from his Iudges if hee will confesse the truth but after some sorrowfull teares and pittifull cries hee fully and amply doth and in the same manner and forme as in all its circumstances we have formerly understood The which when the Iudges heare of they cannot refraine first from admiring and wondering there at and then from lamenting that personages of their ranke and quality should bee the Authors and Actors of so foule and lamentable a murther especially of this faire Gentlewoman Imperia to her owne good old husband Palmerius Now by this time also are Morosini Imperia and Astonicus acquainted with this fatall confession and accusation of Donato against them for this murther wherat they do infinitely lament grieve because they are therby perfectly assured that it hath infallibly made them all three liable and obnoxious to death as also for that their supposed firme friend Donato proved himself so false a man and so true a coward to be the cause therof wherin they so much forget themselves as they doe not once thinke and they will not therefore remember that the detection of this their foule murther proceeded immediatly from Heaven and originally from the providence and justice of the Lord of Hostes. The very same after noone the Iudges send for Morosini Imperia and Astonicus to appeare before them in their publike tribunall of Iustice where they first acquaint and charge them with Donatos confession and accusation against them for murthering of Palmerius whereat they are so farre from being any way dismayed ordanted as they all doe deny and reâ—…ell his accusation and so in high tearmes doe stand upon their innocency and iustification But when they see Donato brought into the court in a chaire for his fiery torments of the Scarpines had so cruelly scorched and pittifully burnt away the flesh of the sole of his right foote almost to the bone that he was wholly vnable either to goe or stand and that they were to be confronted face to face with him as also they being also hotly terrified and threatned by the iudges with the torments of the Racke and Scarpines then God was so gratious to their hearts and so mercifull to their soules that they looking mournefully each at other shee weeping and they sighing and all of them dispairing of life and too perfectly assured of death they all confesse the whole truth of this foule fact of theirs and so confirme as much as Donato had formerly affirmed of this their bloody crime of murthering Palâ—…rius in his bed when one of these two reverend and grave Iudges immediately thereupon doe condemne them all foure to be hanged the next morning at the common place of execution of that cittie although Donato because of his confession hereof in vaine flattered himselfe that he should receive a pardon for his life So they are all sent backe to their prison from whence they came where all the courtesie which the importunate requests of Morosini and the incessant sighes and teares of Impreia an obtaine of their Iudges is that they grant them an houre of time to see converse and speak one with the other that night in prison in presence of their Goalers and some other persons before they dye When Morosini being guided towards her chamber such is the weakenesse of his religion towards God and the fervency or rather the exorbitancy of his affection towards her that as he passeth from chamber to chamber he is so far from once thinking much lesse fearing of death as he absolutely beleeves he is going to a Victory and a triumph here Moroâ—…ni with a world of sighes throwes himself into his Imperia's neck brest and here Imperia with a whole deluge of teares embraceth and encloystereth her â—…orosini in her armes when after a thousand kisses they beg pardon one of another or being the essentiall and actuall cause each of others death and doe enterchangeably both kisse and speake sometimes privately and most times publikely before the spectators that if those reports be true which I first heard therof in Tolentino next in Folignio and lastlâ—… in Rome I say to depaint and represent it at life in all its circumstances I should then begin a second history when I am now on the very point and period to end the first neither in my conceit is it a taske either proper for me to undertake or pertinent for my pen to performe because to speak freely and ingeniously I hold the grant and permission of this their amorous visit enterview in prison before they dye to be every way more worthie of the pittie than of the gravity or piety of their Iudges If therefore I doe not content the curiositie I yet hope I shall satisfie the judgement of my Christian Reader here briefly to signifie this their limited houre is no sooner past but to the sharpe affliction of Morosini the bitter anxiety of Imperia they by their Goalers are separated and confined to their severall chambers where by the charity of their Iudges they finde two Friers and two Nuns attending them to prepare their soules for Heaven and in a lesse vaine and a more serious and religious conference to entertaine both their time and themselves from an Earthly to the speculation and contemplation of a divine and heavenly love as also from them to Astonicus and Donato But before I proceed farther Wee must understand that the two Fryers have not been with Morosini and the two Nuns with Imperia above an houre But by the two Iudges there is a cheife subordinate Officers of theirs sent to prison to tel Imperia that her Uncle Seignior Alexandro Bondino a great Senator and famous Iudge of Rome hath obtained her pardon of this present Pope Vrban the eighth But shee is not of glad of this newes as shee is then curious to enquire if her Morosini bee likewise pardoned so the Officer tells her no and that hee absolutely must suffer death then shee weepes farre faster than shee rejoyceth and affirmes that shee will not live but dye The Iudges send for her and perswade her to live but she begges them as importunarely to give Morosini his life as
they doe her to accept and receive her owne They tell her they have not the power to grant her the first and she replies that shee then hath not the will to embrace and entertaine the second They acquaint Morosini herewith who by their order and by their selves doe strongly perswade her hereunto but her first answer and resolution is her last that shee willaccept of no life if he must dye neither will hee refuse any death conditionally that shee may live to survive him The two Friers and two Nunnes use their best Art and Oratory to perswade her hereunto but they meet with impossibility to make her affection to Morosini and her resolution to her selfe flexible hereunto Her life is not halfe so pretious to her as is his for if shee had many as shee hath but one shee is both ready and resolute to lose and sacrifice them all for his sake and would esteeme it her felicity that her death might redeem and ransome his life The Judges out of their goodnesse and charity afford a whole day to invite and perswade her hereunto but shee is still deafe to their requests and still one and the same woman desirous to live with him or constant and resolute to dye for him Therefore when nâ—…thing can prevaile with her because dye he must so dye shee will to the which shee cheerefully prepares her selfe with an equall affection and resolution which I rather admire than commend in her So the next morning theyare all foure brought to the place of common execution to suffer death Where Donato is first liftedup to the Ladder who being fuller of paine than words said little in effect but that he wished he had either died in Constantinople or Aleppo or else sunke in the sea before he came to Ancona and not to have here ended his daies in misery and infamy The next who was ordered to follow him was Astonicus who told the world boldly and plainly that hee cared lesse for his death than for the cause thereof and that hee loved Morosini so perfectly and dearely that he rather reioyced than grieved to dye for him only he repented himselfe for assisting to murther Palmerius and from his heart and soule beseeched God to forgive it him and so he was turned over Then Morosini ascends the Ladder â—…ad in a haire coulour sattin sute and a paire of crimson silke stockings with garters and roses edged with silver lace being so vaine in his carriage action and speeches as before hee once thought of God hee with a world of sighes takes a solemneleave of his sweet heart Imperia and with all the powers of his heart and soule prayes her to accept of his life and so to survive him He makes an exact and godly confession of his sinnes to God and the world and yet neverthelesse hee is so vaine in his affection toward Imperia as hee takes both to witnesse that had hee a thousand lives he would cheerefully lose them all to save and preserve hers As for Imperia such was her deere and tender affection to him as she would faine look on him as long as he lives and yet she equally desires and resolves rather to dy than to see him die and because she hath not the power therefore she turnes her â—…ace and eies from him and will not have the will to see him dye When he having said his prayers and so recommended his soule into the hands of his Redeemer he is also turned over Now although our Imperia bee here againe and againe solicited by the Iudges Friers and Nuns to accept of her life yet she seeing her other selfe Morosini dead shee therefore disdaines to survive him shee hath so much love in her heart as she now hath little life and lesse joy in her lookes and countenance Shee ascends the Ladder in a plaine blacke Taffeta Gowne a plaine thicke set Ruffe a white Lawne Quayfe and a long blacke Cypresse vayle over her head with a white paire of gloves and her prayer booke in her hands When beeing farre more capable to weepe than speake shee casting a wonderfull sad and sorrowfull looke on her dead lover Morosini after many volleyes of farre fetchd sighes shee delivers this short speech to that great concourse of people who from Citty and Country flocked thither to see her and them dye Good People I had lived more happy and not dyed so miserable if my Father Bondino had not so cruelly enforced mee to marry Palmerius whom I could not love and to leave Morosini whom in heart and soule I ever affected a thousand times deerer than mine owne life and may all fathers who now see my death or shall hereafter heare or reade this my History bee more pittifull and lesse cruell to their daughters by his Example I doe here now suffer many deaths in one to see that my deere Morosini is dead for my sake for had hee not loved mee deerly and I him tenderly he had never died for mee nor I for him with such cheerefullnesse and alacrity as now we doe And here to deale truly with God and the world although I could never affect or fancy my old husband Palmerius yet noâ—… from my heart and soule I lament and repent that ever I was guilty of his innocent and untimely death the which God forgive me and I likewise request you all to pray unto God to forgive it me And not to conceale or dissemble the truth of my heart I grieve not to dye but rather because I have no more lives to lose for my Morosini's affection and sake I have and doe devoutly pray unto God for his soule and so I heartily request and conjure you all to doe for mine Thus I commend you all to happy and prosperous lives my selfe to a pious and patient death in earth and a joyfull and glorious resurrection in Heaven when signing her selfe often with the signe of the crosse she pulls her vaile downe over her face and so praying that she might be buried in one and the same grave with Morosini she bad the executioner performe his office who immediatly turnes her over And if reports be true Never three young men and one faire young Gentlewoman died more lamented and pittied then they For Morosini died with more resolution than repentance and Imperia with more repentance than resolution thus was their lives and thus their deaths May wee extract wisdome out of their folly and charity out of their cruelty so shall wee live as happy as they died miserably and finish our daies and lives in as much content and tranquillity as they ended theirs in shame infamy and confusion GODS REVENGE AGAINST THE CRYING AND Execrable sinne of Murther HISTORY XXVII Father Iustinian a Priest and Adrian an Inne-keeper poyson De Laurier who was lodged in his house and then bury him in his Orchard where a moneth after a Wolfe digges him up and devonres a great part of his body which father Iustinian and Adrian
wretches Father Iustinian and Adrian who now surfet in Gold and wallow in Iewels they presently dight themselves into new apparell and costly suits and then day and night haunt and frequent the Tavernes and Stewes as if they wilfully meant to drowne themselves in all sorts of ungodly riots prodigalities and voluptuousnesse whereof their neighbours yea all Salynes take exact observation and knowledge as wondring at the manner but farre more at the cause thereof or from whence it should proceed Some three weeks being past over Adrian now holds it fit to send home for his wife Isabella to Salynes the which hee doth who much wondring at her Husbands unaccustomed bravery she presently enquires of him for Monsieur De Laurier as if she had farre more cause to doubt and feare of his danger than any way to assure her selfe of his safety and welfare When he putting on a brazen face and steeling and tempering his tongue with equall falsehood and impiety tels her that hee departed thence safe and well some ten dayes since that he gave him fifty crowns for the charges of his entertainment and lodging and for a token of his love had likewise left her and Father Iustinian to each of them twenty other Crownes in Gold But his wife Isabella out of her goodnesse and piety deeming these speeches of her Husbands to be as false as fatall and verily suspecting and fearing that he with the assistance of Father Iustinian had sent that harmlesse good old man to an untimely death and grave shee bursts forth into immoderate sighs and teares as suspecting all was not well yea fearing nothing more and beleeving nothing lesse than that which hee affirmed to her herein He proffers her the twenty Crownes in Gold but good vertuous woman she fearing it to bee the hire and price of innocent bloud her tender conscience is too prevalent and her harmlesse heart and soule too powerful with God to accept therof and therfore she refuseth it with as much disdaine and discontent as he endeavoureth to give it her with affection and desire And that the Reader may the more fully be informed of her integrity and charity herein I mean to the present memory and well wishes of absent De Laurier whom she silently feares is for ever absent both from this life this world she never goes into the chamber where he lay sicke but she sacrificeth some sighs to sorrow in his behalfe and her imaginary apprehension of his death makes her mournfully conceive that either shee still sees his living picture or his dead ghost and representation such was her charitable care of him such her Christian feare for him We have seene this deplorable and cruell murther committed on the harmlesse person of old De Laurier by these two members of Satan Adrian and Father Iustinian the Priest and if the truth deceive not my hopes wee shall not proceed much farther in this their Historie but we shall see Gods just Iudgements miraculously to resplend and shine forth in his punishments on them for the same For I may properly tearme murther and punishment to be Individuals and Companions in regard the one followes the other as the shadow doth the body as the first derives its originall from Satan so doth the second from God to whom in a language of bloud it stil cries for restauration and satisfaction But neverthelesse God is as secret as sacred in disposing of the manner and time thereof and in ordaining by whom when and how he will afflict and execute it It is no false axiome in Philosophy but a true tenent and maxime in Divinity That God who made all things sees and governes all things and that nothing can be concealed from the eyes of his sacred Power and divine Providence All the foure Elements are the ministers of his justice yea Men and Angels the Sunne Moone and Starres the fowles of the aire and the beasts of the field prove many times the Agents of his Revenge of which last sort and nature the Reader to Gods glory and his owne information and admiration may here obserue a lively example and receive a most powerfull president but whether more strange for the truth or rare for the strangenesse thereof I know not and therefore will not define For the same day moneth next after that Adrian and father Instinian had buried the dead body of De Laurier behold a huge and ravening Wolfe being lately arroused from the the adjacent vast woods seeking up and downe for his prey came into Adrians Orchard next adjoyning to his house purposly sent thither by God as a minister of his sacred justice and revenge who senting some dead carrion which indeed was the dead Corpes of De Laurier that was but shallowly buried there in the ground hee fiercely with his pawes and nose tares up the Earth and at last pulls and dragges it up and there till an houre after the breake of day remaines devouring and eating up of the flesh of his armes legges thighes and buttocks But as God would have it hee never touched any part of his face but leaves it fully undissigured When instantly some Gentlemen hunters of Salynes aâ—…d the Neighbour parishes being ascertained by some Peasants in the fields that the Wolfe was past that way they closely follow him with their Dogges and Hornes and so at last finde him in Adrians Orchard eating as they thinke of some living beast or dead carrion But the Wolfe being terrified with the noise of the hunters loud shoutes and cryes as also of their Dogges fierce yawling and bawling presently forsakes his prey and saves his life by his flight although the Dogges and many Peasants doe eagerly pursue him Whiles all the Gentlemen as if led by the immediate finger of God with their Iavelins and boarespeares in their hands rush into the Orchard to see and finde out whereon the Wolfe had preyed when loe contrary to their expectations their amazed eyes are enforced to behold the pitifull spectacle and lamentable object of a mangled dead mans body miserably devoured and eaten by that savage Wolfe and the which they saw he had digged and torne vp as they fully beleeved from his untimely grave They therefore at first stand astonished with griefe and amazed for sorrow at this prodigious and deplorable sight and yet such was their living compunction to this dead corpes and consequently their zeale to Gods glory and Iustice as confidently beleeving that he was proditoriously murthered by some inhumane person or persons that the odious stinch of this long buried body could not hinder them from approaching to survey and behold it They find the greatest part of the flesh of his body devoured by the Wolfe but as before his face whole and untouched when they see and extreamly grieve and sorrow to see that it was a grave old man with a long white beard but so besmeared with earth and dust as they coud not refraine from sighes and teares to behold it
contrary The next day all Granado rings and resounds of this murther and of the suspition and imprisonment of Don Hippolito for the same when the Lady Cervantella goes to the Criminall Iudges of the City and accuseth him for the same and with griefe sorrow and passion followes it close against him and although Hippolito at his first examination denies it yet being by his cleeresighted Iudges adjudged to the racke for the same hee at the very first sight thereof confesseth it for the which bloody and lamentable crime of his hee is sentenced the next day to be hanged although hee proffered all his estate and meanes to save his life But the zeale and integrity of his judges was such to the sacred name of Iustice as they disdained to bee corrupted herewith So the next Morning this old bloody wretch Hippolito is brought to the common place of execution where a very great concourse of people repaire from all parts of the Citty to see him take his last farewell of the world most oâ—… them pittying his age but all condemning the enormity of this his foule and bloody crime He was dealt with by some Priests and Fryers in prison whose Charity and Piety endevoured to fortifie his heart against the feare of death and to prepare his soule for the life and joyes of that to come But the Devill was yet so strong with him that hee could not bee drawne to contrition nor would not bee either perswaded or enforced to repentance or to aske God or the world forgivenesse of this his bloody fact but as hee lived prophanely so hee would dye wretchedly and desperately for on the Ladder hee made a foolish speech the which because it savoured more of beastly concupiscence and lust than of Piety or Religion I will therefore burie it in oblivion and silence and so hee was turnedover Come we now to speake of Don Emanuell de Cortez the Father who understanding of his Sonne Roderigo his continuall frequenting of Dona Cervantella's house and her daughter Dominica's company and now hearing of this murther of her Sonne to her doore his owne Sonne being then therein present he is much discontented therewith and because he will sequester him from her sight and provide him another Wife hee sends him to Asnalos a mannor house of his some tenne leagues off in the Country with a strong injunction and charge there to reside till his farther order to returne Roderigo is wonderfull sorrowfull thus to leave the sight of his faire and deere Mistris Dominica and to the view of the world no lesse is shee so hee transporteth only his body to Asnallos but his heart he leaves with her in Granado But a moneth is scarce expired after his departure But the Lady Cervantella by the death of her Sonne Don Garcia wanting a man to conduct and governe her affaires especially her law sutes wherewith as wee have formerly heard she is much incumbred shee thereupon as also at the instant request of her Daughter writes Roderigo this letter for his returne CERVANTELLA to RODERIGO AS thou tenderest the prosperity of my affaires and the content and ioy of my Doughter I request thee speedily to leave Asnallos and to returne to reside heere in Granado for I wanting my Sonne Garcia who was the ioy of my life and shee her Roderigo who art the life of her joy thou must not finde it strange if my age and her youth and if my Law sutes and her love affections and desires assume this resolution Thy Father is a Noble man of Reason and his Sonne shall finde this to bee a request both 〈◊〉 and reasonable except thou wilt so farre publish thy weakenesse to the world thaâ—… thou doest more feare thy Father than love my Daughter for if thou shouldest once â—…mit thy obedience to him so farre to give a Law to thy affection to her thou wilt then make thy selfe as unworthy to bee her Husband as I desire it with zeale and shee with passion Shee is resolved to second this my letter with one of her owne to thee to which I referre thee God blesse thy stay and hasten thy returne CERVANTELLA Dominica resolving to make good her promise to her mother and that of her mother to Roderigo she withdrawes her selfe to her chamber to write and knowing her mothers messenger ready to depart chargeth him with the delivery of her letter to her lover Roderigo and to cast the better lustre and varnish over her affection she takes a Diamond Ring from her finger and likewise sends it him for a token of her love DOMINICA to RODERIGO AS the death of my Brother Don Garcia made 〈◊〉 extreame sorrowfull so thiâ—… of thy absence made mee infinitely miserable for as that nipt my joyes and hopes in their blossomes so this kills them in their riper age and 〈◊〉 When I 〈◊〉 received thy love and gave and returned thee mine in exchange I had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou hadst affected me too dearly so soone to leave my sight and to â—…sh thy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my company but now I see with griefe and feelewith sorrow that thâ—… lovest thy Fâ—…er farre bettter than â—…ee and delightest to preferre his content befâ—… 〈◊〉 for else thou hadst not made me thus wretched by thy absence who am as it were but entering into the happinesse of thy presence If thou canst finde in thy heart to obey his commands before thou grant my requests then come not to Granado but stay still in Asnallos but if the contrary then leave Asnallos and come to mee in Granado wâ—…ere I will chide thee for thy long stay and yet give thee a world of thankes and kisses for thy so soone returne and as my heart and soule doth desire it so the prosperity of my Mothers affaires doth likewise want and therefore crave it Iudge of the fervency of my affection to thee by thine to my selfe and then thou wilt speâ—…dily resolve to see thy Dominica who desires nothing so much under Heaven as to have the happinesse of thy sight and the felicity and Honour of thy Company DOMINICA Roderigo receives these their two Letters reputes that of the mother to much respect and this of her Daughter to infinite affection so as the very knowledg and consideration thereof makes him rejoyce in the first and triumph in the second and therefore knowing himselfe to be a man and past a child and that as he is bound by nature and reason to obey his farther so he is not tyed to bee commanded by him beyond it wherefore he resolves to give content to the mother for the daughters sake and to the daughter for his own saâ—…e and so by their own messenger returnes them these answers That to the Lady Cervantella spake thus RODERIGO to CERVANTELLA I So much tender the prosperity of thy affaires and thy daughters content and joy that my resolutions shall so dispose of my selfe towards my Father as verie shortly I will see thee with respect and observance and
my deare Sanctifiore for I write not this out of any malice but out of true affection to thee to the end that thou maiest thereby seriously consider and religiously remember with thy selfe what I am to thee thou to my selfe and what that unfortunate Innocent unborne babe in my belly is to us both And although I am thy wife before God yet I will now in all humility make my selfe thy handmaid and with a world of sighes and teares throw my selfe at thy feet and lower if I could to conjure and begge thee By my poore beauty which once thou didest so much admire and adore by the memory of my lost virginity which thou wrested'st from mee with so many amarous sighes and teares by all thy deepe oathes vowes and promises which thou so religiously gavest mee to remaine still loving to mee by thine honour which should bee dearer to thee than thy life by thy conscience and soule which ought to bee far more pretious to thee than all the lives and honours of the world yea for thy poore infants sake and lastly for Gods sake abandon thy unjust displeasure and immerited discontent conceived against mee and my deare Sanctifiore come away to mee to Putzeole and there make mee thy wife in the sight of his Church and people as I am already in that of heaven and his Angells I say againe come away to mee my sweet Sanctifiore for thy sight will delight my heart and thy presence and company ravish my soule with joy It is impossible for Bertranna either to love or honour thee the thousand part so dearly as thy Vrsina doth and till death resolves to doe I will freely forget all thy former escapes and discourtesies towards mee and doe attribute them more to her foolish vanity than any way to thy unkind disposition or inclination yea I will not knit my browes when thou comest to mee but will cheerfully and joyfully prepare my selfe to feast thee with smiles and to surfet thee with kisses But if contrariwise thou wilt not hearken unto mee or this my letter or regard these my just requests and sorrowes nor obey and follow God and thy conscience herein in speedily repairing to mee to make mee thy joyfull wife then what shall I doe or say but according as I am bound in affection and duty to thee I will notwithstanding still resolve to love thee dearly though thou hate mee deadly and to pray for thee though thou curse mee yea I will then leave thee to God and religiously beseech his divine majestie to bee a just judge betweene both of us of my firme affection and constancy to thee and of thy cruell ingratitude and treacherie to mee Live thou as happie as thy constant Vrsina knowes that without thee shee shall assuredly live sorrowfully and die miserablie VRSINA Her messenger Sebastiano arives privatly at Naples and finds out the Baron of Sanctifiore in his chamber by the fire to whom hee gives and delivers this letter who at first knowing from whom it came stood a pretty whiles musing and consulting with himselfe whether he should read or burne it but at last hee breakes up the seales thereof and with much adoe affords himselfe the time and patience to peruse it which having done although hee no way merited to receive so sweet and loving a letter from Vrsina yet not blushing for shame but looking pale with envie and malice thereat hee darting forth a disdainfull frowne and tearing the letter in peeces throwes it into the fire when turning himselfe hastily towards Sebastiano who stood neere him and saw all that hee had done hee in great choler spake to him thus Tell that proud and foolish gigglet Vrsina that I disdaine her as much as shee writes shee loves mee and that as now so ever hereafter I will returne no other answer to her and her letters but contempt and silence when to expresse his greater fury Sebastiano was no sooner forth his chamber but he very hastily throwes fast the doore after him and in this furious and cholericke manner doth this base Sanctifiore receive the love and entertaine the letter of our sweet and sorrowfull Vrsina Sebastiano as much grieving as admiring at the incivill choler and rage of Sanctifiore presently leaves Naples and carries home this poore newes and cold comfort to his young Mistris the Lady Vrsina at Putzeole the which hee faithfully and punctually delivers to her who expected nothing lesse but derectly the contrary thereof She is amazed to understand this his disdainfull barbarous and cruell answer and infinitly perplexed in mind that hee should first teare then burne her letter and for converting his pen into Sebastianos tongue for his answer thereof But above all that word of his gigglet kild her very heart with sorrow to thinke that for all her former courtesies shewed him hee should now at last repay her with this foule ingratitude and scandalous aspersion at the sorrowfull thought and consideration whereof resolving to make her piety exceed his cruelty shee could not refraine from bedewing her roseat cheeks with many pearled teares nor from evaporating this heavenly ejaculation from the profundity of her heart and the centre of her foule God forgive the Baron of Sanctifiore and bee mercifull to mee Vrsina a great and wretched sinner had shee continued in this godly mind and resolution shee had done well but ahlas notwithstanding the wholesome comfort and councell of her aunt Mellefanta wee shall shortly see her runne a contrary course and cariere It is a common phrase and proverb that misfortune seldome comes alone which wee shall now see our sorrowfull Vrsina will verifie by her deepe sighes and confirme by her bitter teares for this discourtesie of Sanctifiore towards her for shee hath so deeply nayled it in her mind and riveâ—…ed it in her heart that it begins to impaire her health and strength and consequently to pervert and alter the constitution of her body so that whereas her poore unborne babe had lived but one full moneth within her she now finds so many suddaine throwes and unacustomed convulsions that shee is speedily constrained to betake her selfe to her bed when calling upon her aunt Mellefanta and withall possible hast sending a way for the midwife shee after many sharpe torments and bitter cries and groanes to the great perrill and eminent danger of her life is delivered of a verie pretty little sonne which God sends into the world dead borne now although shee want no curious care comfort and attendance from her aunt in this her sicknes and extremity yet shee weeps bitterlie and pittifully for the abortive birth and untimely death of her poore innocent babe and infant and because her aunt sees that this last affliction and sorrow of her neece doth infinitly encrease and revive her former and that shee also conceives a wonderfull feare in her heart and scruple in her conscience that it is only her immoderate griefe and sorrow which hath kild her
hackney coach speedily flying to Putzeole to her aunt Mellefunta for protection and Sanctuary so these fierce and mercilesse sergeants doe presently divert and alter their course yea they furiously and suddainely rush upon them apprehend and constitute them close prisoners in the common goale of thaâ—… cittie placing them in two severall chambers to the end they should not prattle or tell tales each to other where they shall finde more leasure than time both to remember what they have done and likewise to know what hereafter they must doe Whiles thus all Naples generally resound and talke of this mournfull fact and deplorable accident and Seignior Placedo particularly grieves at these his daughters unexpected crosses and calamities as also of those of his coachman Sebastiano the which hee feares hee can far sooner lament than remedy our sorrowfull widdow Bertranna with the assistance of her father De Tores gives her husband the Baron of Sanctifiore a solemne and stately buriall in the Fueillantes Church of Naples correspondant to his noble degree and qualitie And then within two daies after at her earnest and passionate solicitation to the judges Vrsina and her coachman Sebastiano are severally convented before them in their chiefe Forum or tribunall of justice and there strongly accused by her and charged to bee the authors and actors of this cruell murther committed on the person of the Baron of Sanctifiore her husband the which both of them doe stoutly deny with much vehemency and confidence and when the little boy Bartholomeo is face to face called into the court to give in evidence against them hee there maintaines to the judges what hee had formerly deposed to them in the fields but saies hee thinks not that this Lady was that frier nor can hee truly say that this was the coachman who carried him although when his cloake was shewed him hee could not deny but it was verie like it but Bertranna having now secretly intimated and made knowen to the judges all the passages that had formerly past betweene Vrsina and her husband Sanctifiore as his getting of her with child and then contrarie to his promise refusing to marry her they doe therefore more than halfe beleeve that it was her discontent which drew her to this choler her choler to this revenge and her revenge to this murthering of him as also that in favour of some gold shee had likewise seduced and drawen her coachman Sebastiano to bee consenting and accessary herein with her whereupon the next day they will begin with him and so they adjudge him to the racke the torments whereof hee endures with a wonderfull fortitude and patience so that remembring his oath of secrecy to his Lady Vrsina hee cannot thereby bee drawen to confesse any thing but denies all whereof shee having secret notice doth not a little rejoyce and insult thereat now the very next ensueing morning Vrsina her selfe is likewise adjudged and exposed to the racke the wrenches and torments whereof as soone as shee sensibly feeles God proves then so propitious and mercifull to her soule that her dainty body and tender limbes cannot possibly endure or suffer it but then and there shee to her judges and tormentors confesseth herselfe to bee the sole author and actor of pistolling to death the Baron of Sanctifiore in the same manner and forme as wee have already understood in all its circumstances but in her heart and soule shee strongly affirmes to them that her coachman Sebastiano was not accessary with her herein upon which apparent and palpable confession of hers her judges in honour to sacred justice and for expiation of this her foule crime doe pronounce sentence of death against her that shee shall the next morning bee hanged at the place of common execution notwithstanding all the power and teares of her father and kinsfolkes to the contrary So she is returned to her prison where her father not being permitted to see her that night sends her two Nuns and two friers to prepare and direct her soule for heaven whom in a little time through Gods great mercy and their owne pious perswasions they found to bee wounderfull humble repentant and sorrowfull She privately sends word to her coachman Sebastiano that shee is thankfull to him for his respect and fidelity to her on the racke and wills him to bee assured and confident that shee being to die to morow her speech at her death shall no way prejudice but strongly confirme the safety and preservation of his life Thus grieving far more at the foulnes of her crime than at the infamy and severity of her punishment shee spends most part of the night and the first part of the morning in godly praiers and religious meditations and ejaculations when although her sorrowfull old father Seignior Placedo by his noble kinsman the Prince of Salerno made offer to the Viceroy the Duke of ossuna the free gift of all his lands to save this his daughters life yet the strong solicitation of the first and the great proffer of the last proved vaine and fruitlesse for they found it wholly impossible to obtaine it So about ten of the clocke in the morning our sorrowfull Vrsina is betweene two Nuns brought to her execution clad in a blacke wrought velvet gowne a greene sattin petticoate agreat laced ruffe her head dressed up with tuffes and roses of greene ribbon with some artificiall flowers all covered over with a white ciffres vaile and a paire of plaine white gloves on her hands when ascending the ladder shee to the great confluence of people who came thither to see her take her last farwell of this life and this world with a mournfull countenance and low voice delivered them this sorrowfull and religious speech Good people I want words to expresse the griefe of my heart and the anxiety and sorrow of my soule for imbruing my hands in the innocent blood and death of the Baron of Sanctifiore although not to dissemble but to confesse the pure truth hee betraied his promise to mee of marriage and mee of my honour and chastity without it whereof I beseech Almighty God that all men of what degree or qualitie soever may hereafter bee warned by his example and all Ladies and gentlewomen deterred and terrified by mine I doe likewise here confesse to heaven and earth to God and his Angells and to you all who are here present that I alone was both the author and actor of this foule murther and that my coachman Sebastiano is no way consenting or accessary with mee herein and that albeit I once promised and proffered him a hundred double pistolls of Spanish gold to performe it yet hee honestly and religiously refused both me and it and strongly and pathetically disswaded me from it whose good and wholesome councell I now wish to God from the depth and center of my soule I had then followed for then I had lived as happie as now I die miserable And because it is now no
time but bootlesse for mee either to paliate the truth or to flatter with God or man the worst of his crime he being my servant was the least courtesie hee owed to mee I being his mistris which after with mine owne hands I had committed that deplorable fact was to bring mee home from the fields to my fathers house and for assisting mee to cast the friers frocke the false beard and haire the almes box breviary and two pistolls into the next deepe pit or precipice thereunto adjoining where as yet they still lie for this my heinous offence the very remembrance whereof is now grievous and odious unto mee I aske pardon first of God then of mine owne deare father and next of the Lady Bertranna and if the words and prayers of a poore dying gentlewoman have any power with the living then I beseech you all in generall and every one of you in particular to pray unto God that hee will now forgive my sinnes in his favour and hereafter save my soule in his mercy the which as soone as shee had said and uttered some few short prayers to her selfe shee often making the signe of the crosse takes leave of all the world when pulling downe her vaile in comly sort over her eies and face and erecting her hands towards heaven shee was turned over now as some of her spectators rejoyced at the death of so cruell and bloody or female monster so the greatest part of them in favour of her birth youth and beautie did with aworld of teares exceedingly lament and pittie her but all of them doe highly detest and execrate the base ingratitude infidelity and treachery of this ignoble Baron of Sanctifiore towards her which no doubt was the prime cause and cheifest motive which drew her to these deplorable and bloody resolutions As for her honest coachman Sebastiano although his owne torments on the racke and now this solemne confession of his Lady Vrsina at her death had sufficiently proclaimed and vindicated his innocency in this murther of Sanctifiore yet such was his widdow Bertrannas living affection to her dead husband and her deadly malice to living Sebastiano for thinking him to bee guiltie and accessary hereunto with his Lady Vrsina that her power and malice so far prevailed with the integrity of the judges for the further disquisition of this truth as they now againe sentence him to the double torments of the racke the which hee againe likewise endureth with a most unparalleld patience and constancy without confessing any thing the which his judges wondering to see and admiring to understand and having no substantiall proofes or reall and valable evidences against him they now fully absolve and acquit him of this his suspected crime when being moved in charity justice and conscience to yeeld him some reward and satisfaction for thus enfeebling his body and impairing of his health by these his sharpe and bitter torments they therefore adjudge the plaintiffe widdow Bertranna to give him three hundred duckatons whereof shee cannot possibly exempt or excuse her selfe And thus lived and died our unkind Baron Sanctifiore and our cruell hearted young Lady Vrsina and in this manner did the sacred justice of God requite the one and condignly revenge and punish the other Now by reading this their history may God of his best favour and mercy teach us all from our hearts to hate this Barons levitie and from our soules to abhorre and detest this Ladies cruelty and impiety AMEN GODS REVENGE AGAINST THE CRYING AND Execrable Sinne of Murther HISTORY XXX De Mora treacherously kills Palura in a duell with two pistolls His Lady Bellinda with the aid of her gentleman usher Ferallo poysoneth her husband De Mora and afterwards shee marrieth and then murthereth her said husband Ferallo in his bed so shee is burnt alive for this her last murther and her ashes throwen into the aire for the first IN the generall depravation of this age it is no wonder that many sinfull foules are so transported by Sathan and their owne outragious passions to imbrue their guilty hands in the innocent blood of their christian brethren and it were a great happines and felicity to most countries and kingdomes of Europe if they were not sometimes infected with the contagion of this bloody and crying sinne which with a presumptuous hand seemes to strike at the majestie of God himselfe in killing man his creature but because wishes availe little and for that examples are more powerfull and prevalent and prove the best precepts to the living therefore I here produce a lamentable one of so inhumane a condition that by the knowledge and consideration thereof wee may know how to detest the like and avoid the temptations in our selves IN the famous kingdome of Portugall and within a very little league of Stremos one of the sweetest and fairest cities thereof there within these few yeares dwelt a noble gentleman of some fifty six yeares old named Don Alonso De Mora Issued and discended from one of the best and famous houses of that kingdome as being Nephew to that great and wise Don Christopher de Mora of whom the histories of Spaine and Portugall make so often and so honourable mention and although hee were by his ancestors and parents left very rich in lands and possessions yet his ambition and generosity caried him to serve his king Phillip third of Spaine in his warres of Africa and Flanders wherein hee spent the greatest part of his time and of himselfe wonne many renowned laurells and martiall trophees of honour and as an excellent cavalier left behinde him many approved markes and testimonies of his true valour and magnanimity But as all men are naturally constant in unconstancy and subject and co-incident to mutations and that the world still delights to please us with changes and to feed our fancies and affections with different enterprises and resolutions so our De Mora at last calls home his thoughts and himselfe from warre to peace and resolves to spend the remainder of his age in as much ease pleasure as formerly hee had done the heate and strength of his youth in tumults and combustions hee now sees that there is no life nor pleasure comparable to that of the country for here the sweetnesse of the imbalmed aire the delicacy of the perfumed and enamelled fields the unparalleld pastime of hauking and hunting and the free and uninterrupted accesse which wee have to arts in our study and to God in religious praiers and meditations makes it to bee no lesse than either an earthly paradise or a heaven upon earth For the campe despite of commanders abounds with all kinds of insolencies and impieties the cittie despite of magistrates with all sorts of vice deceit covetousnes and pride and the court despite of good kings and Princes too often with variety of hippocrisie perfidiousnes and vanity To his owne great mannor house neere Stremos therefore is our De Mora retired with a resolution
shame and his content his affliction and â—…serie But as mild and sweet perswasion is ever more capable and powerfull to prevaile with women than constraint so our faiâ—…e Bellinda is so distasted with the lunacy and with the phrensie and madnes of this her husbands jealousie that shee no sooner sees her Palura arive in her sight and presence but despite â—…f â—…s suspition and feare shee is â—…o 〈◊〉 in her lust and so lascivious in 〈◊〉 affâ—…ction towards him that she tâ—…es pleasure to seeke pleasure and extremely delighteth to seeke and â—…d delight with him which according to her former lewâ—… 〈◊〉 and ungodly contract shee often doth Now this foolish young couple being the obliged schoâ—…ers of â—…pid and the devoted votaries of Venus thinke to bee as wise as they are lascivious in these their amorous pleasures for knowing that discretion makes lovers happie and that secrecie is the true touch-â—…e yea the verie life and souâ—…e of love they therefore esteeme and keepe the secrets thereof as if they were sacred and thinke that no mortall eyes but their owne can 〈◊〉 know it but yet notwithstanding all this De Mora's jealous feares in the detection are still as great as their care in the prevention thereof for the very next night after Palura departure from his house hee purposely absenteth anâ—…eth his wife from his bed and the next morning calling her into the gardeâ—… after him and causing the doore to bee â—…ut he then and there with lighâ—…g iâ—… his lookes and tâ—…nder in his speeches chargeth her of adulterie with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this young strumpet his wife Bellinda at the verie first hearing of this 〈◊〉 and unexpected newes dissembles so artificially with her husband and so proâ—… with God as seeming to dissolve and melt into teares shee purgeth her selfe hereof with many strong vowes cleereth Palura with many deepe asseverations 〈◊〉 this fanaticke Tyrant and franticke monster jealousie which for the most part wee can seldome or never kill before it kill us had wrought such strange impressions in the braines ingraven such extravagant chimoera's in the heart and â—…eleefe of old De Mora that notwithstanding his wives oathes and teares to the contrary hee yet still vowes to himselfe and her that shee is guiltie of adulterie with Palura and therefore chargeth her that henceforth shee dare not see him or receive him into her house or companie Bellinda hereat to give her â—…and some content in her owne discontent makes a great shew of sorrow and an extreme apparition and exteriour apparance of griefe she sends for her father Cursoro acquaints him with the unjust wrong and indignitie which her Lord 〈◊〉 husband hath offered her and praies him to interpose his authoritie and judgement with him for their reconciliation who seeing himselfe solicited and sought to by his owne blood by his daughters hypocrisie beleeves her to be as innocent as her husband De Mora thinkes her guilty of this foule crime of adultery with Palura and so undertakes to solicit and deale with his sonne in law De Mora to that effect which hee doth but with no desired successe so that finding it to bee a knottie and difficult busines and upon the whole no lesse than a Herculean labour because of De Mora's wilfull obstinacie and perverse cre dulity hee therefore praies for both of them and thus leaves them and their difference to time and to God and upon these unfortunate tearmes doth old De Mora his young wife Bellinda and their marriage now stand In the meane time Bellinda who suffers doubly both in her pleasure and her reputation is not yet so devoid of sense or exempt of judgement but shee will speedily provide for the one and secure the other To which effect seeming sorrowfully obedient to her husband she thinkes it not fit that her Palura should for a season approach her house or her selfe wherefore by a confident messenger shee sends him this letter BELLINDA to PALVRA MY husband hath discovered our affections and is confident that I love thee far better than himselfe wherein as hee is nothing deceived so I conjure thee by the preservation of thy fidelitie and my honour to forbeare my house and sight for some two moneths in which interim I will use my chiefest art and the utmost of my possible power to calme the stormes and tempests that jealousie hath raised in him So bee thou but as patient as I will bee constant and I hope a little time shall end our languishing and againe worke our contents and desires for though thou art absent from mee yet I am still present with thee and albeit my husband De Mora have my body yet Palura and none but Palura hath my heart as knoweth God to whose best favour and mercy I affectionately and zealously recommend thee BELLINDA Palura receives this letter and although hee fetch many deepe figâ—…es at the reading thereof yet hee gives it many sweet kisses for her sweet sake who writ and sent it him hee knowes not whether hee hath more reason to condemne De Mora's jealousie or to commend his Lady Bellinda's affection and constancie to himselfe and because hee resolves to preferre her content and honour equally with his owne life therefore heâ—… will dispence with his lustfull and lascivious pleasures for a time purposely to give her beauty and merrits their due forever so in requit all of her affectionate letter he by her owne messenger returnes her this kind and courteous answer PALVRA to BELLINDA I Am as sorrowfull that thy husband De Mora hath discovered our affections as truly joyfull that thou lovest mee far better than himselfe wherefore to prevent his jealousie equally to preserve my fidelity with thy honour and thy honour with my life know sweet and deare Bellinda that thy requests are my commands and thy will shall eternally be my law in which regard I will refraine thy house all thy long prefixed time and so forbeare to see thee but never to love thee because thy sweet devine beauty is so deeply ingraven in my thoughts imprinted in my soule thâ—…t the farther I transport my body from thee the neerer my affection brings my heart to thee I will adde my chiefest wishes to thy best art and my best prayers to thy chiefest power that a little time may worke our content and desires but because there is no torment nor death to languishing nor no languishing to that of love therefore I shall thinke every moment a moneth and every houre a yeare before wee againe kisse and imbrace conceale this letter of mine from all the world with as much care and secresie as I send it thee with fervent zeale and tender affection PALVRA The perusall of this letter and the affection of Palura demonstrated in this his resolution makes Bellinda as glad as the jealousie of her Lord and husband De Mora sorrowfull and now seeing his rage so reasonlesse and his malice and obstinacie so
and her usher Ferallo so that he as soone beleeves as understands this their adultery without ever making a stand either to consider the truth or to examine the circumstances thereof whereupon to make short worke and to provide a speedy remedy for this unfortunate disaster and disease hee without speaking word of it either to his Lady Bellinda or to Ferallo suddainely casheereth him from his house and service and in such disgracefull manner as hee will not so much as permit him to know the reason hereof or to see or take leave of his Lady and mistris and from thence forth De Mora lookes on her with infinite contempt and jealousie For it galles him to the heart first to remember her dishonour and dishonesty with Palura now far more to know that she is doubly guilty thereof with her owne domesticke servant and Gentleman-usher Ferallo wherefore he againe restraines her of her liberty and his jealousie so far exceeds the bounds of judgement and the limmits of reason as hee will difficultly permit her to see any man or any man to see her but as rivers stopped doe still degorge with more violence and overflow with more imperuositie so Bellinda takes this new jealousie of her old husband and this suddaine exile and banishment of Ferollo her lover and Gentleman-usher in extreme ill part and after shee hath wept and sighed her fill thereat shee then beleeves the prime and originall cause therof to proceed from the malice and jealousie of her waiting Gentlewoman Herodia wherefore being infinitly despighted and incensed against her shee in her deare love and affection to Ferallo to requite her husbands courtesie very discourteously turnes her away and for ever banisheth her her house and service and to write the truth Ferallo likewise inhatred malice to Herodia will from thence forth neither see nor speake with her more But to verifie the English proverb that love will creepe where it cannot goe although De Mora banisheth Ferallo from his house and restraineth his Lady Bellinda of her liberty in his house yet sometimes by day many times by night they by the assistance of some secret agents or Ambassadours of love doe in the arbours of the gardens and in some other out romes of the house very amorously meet and most lasciviously kisse and embrace together They hold many private conferences on their unlawfull affections and many secret consultations upon their unjust discontents so at last both of them joining in one wicked heart and mind and as matters are still best distinguished by their contraries finding each others company sweet and their sequestration and seperation bitter they so much forget their selves and their soules and so much fly from heaven and God to follow Sathan and hell as both of them beleeve and resolve they can have no true or perfect content on earth before De Mora be first sent to heaven now upon this bloody designe they agree and upon this hellish plot they fully resolve only the gordian knot which must combine and linke fast this foule busines is that De Mora being dead Bellinda must shortly after marry her Gentleman-usher Ferallo whereunto with as much joy as vanity shee cheerfully consenteth when they are so prophane as they seale this their ungodly contract with many oathes and ratifie and confirme it with a world of kisses and then of all violent deaths they resolve on that drugge of the devill poyson so without either the feare or grace of God they of Christians metamorphose and make themselves devils and Ferallo buying the poyson Bellinda very secretly and subtilly in diet drink and broath admmistereth it unto her Lord and husband De Mora which being of a languishing vertue and opperation hee within lesse then foure moneths dies thereof when with much cost and a wonderfull exteriour shew of griefe and sorrow shee gives him a stately funerall every answerable to the lustre of his name and the quality of his dignity and honoâ—…r but God in his due time will pull off the maske of this her monstrous hippocrie and infernall prophanesse Our jealous old Lord de Mora being thus laied and raked up in the dust of his untimely grave his joyfull sorrowfull widdow the Lady Bellinda according to her promise to the griefe of her father Cursoro to the wonder of Stremos and the admitation of all Portugall marries with this her Gentleman-usher Ferallo but such lustfull and bloody marriages most commonly meet with miserable ends For six moneths together Ferallo day and night keeps good corespondancy in the performance of his affections to his old Lady and mistris and now his new wife Bellinda and although they are unequall in birth and ranke yet marriage having now made them equall they mutually kisse and imbrace with as much content as desire but at the end of this small parcell of time satiety of his uxorious delights and pleasures makes him neglectfull and which is worse contemptible thereof a base ingratitude but to often subject to men of his inferiour ranke and quality and which the indiscretion of Ladies of honour very often paies deare for as buying it many times with infamy but still which repentance so that for ten nights and sometimes for fifteene together hee never kissed or imbraced her which unkind ungratitude of his and respectlesse unvaluation of her youth and beauty as also of her ranke meanes makes the Lady Bellinda his wife to be as hot in choler towards him as he is cold in affection love towards her But to ascend to the head-spring of this his discourtesie towards her and so to fetch and derive it from its owne proper originall wee must know that Ferallo was so vitious inconstant and base as now hee is deeply in love with a new waiting Gentlewoman of his Ladies named Christalina a sweet young maiden of some eighteene yeares of age tall of stature and slender of body and whose beauty was every way as cleere and pure as her name and yet whose maidenhead with a few rich presents and many poore flattering oaths and false promises hee had secretly purchased and gotten from her yea his affection was so fervent to her that part of the day could not content his lustfull desires but hee forgets himselfe so far as before his Ladies nose and almost in her sight hee must lye with her whole nights and which is worse almost every night without so much as once thinking of his owne wife the Lady Bellinda or either loving what shee cared for or caring for what shee loved But Bellinda esteemes her selfe too good a Gentlewoman and too great a Lady to be thus outbraved and disgraced by a Taylors sonne for so was Ferallo and therefore consequently her heart is too well lodged and too high fixed and seated in the degree of her high discent thus to receive suffer an affront by a man of so low a beginning so ignoble a quality and extraction as he was and whom she had
to heaved for this her bloody and unnaturall crime was so odious to men and so execrable to God that shee could hope for no pardon of her life from her judges although her sorrowfull old father Cursoro with a world of teares threw himselfe to their feet and offered them all his lands and meanes to his very shirt to obtaine it for her All Stremos and the country there abouts resound and talke of this cruell murthering of Ferallo as also of his Lady Bellinda's condigne condemnation to death for the same and the next morning at eight of the clocke they all repaire under the castle wall to see this execrable and unfortunate Lady there in flames of fire to act the last scoene and catastrophy of her life she is conducted thither by a Saint Claires Nun on her right hand and a Saint Francis Frier on her left who jointly charge her upon perill of damnation to disburthen her conscience and soule before shee dye of any other capitall crime whereof shee knowâ—…s 〈◊〉 selâ—… guilty the which shee solemnly and religiously promiseth them about nine of the clocke shee is brought to the stake where she sees her selfe empalled and surrounded first with many fagots and then with a very great concourse and confluence of people here shee is so irreligious in her vanity that shee had cast of her blackes and mourning and purposely dighted her selfe in a rich yellow sattin gowne wrought with flowers of silver a large set ruffe about her necke and her head covered over with a pure white tiffney vaile laced and wroâ—…ht with rich cut-worke as if shee cared more for her body than her soule as if her pride and bravery would carry her sooner to heaven than her prayers and repentance or as if the prodigall cost and lustre thereof were able to diminish either her crime or her punishment in the eyes and opinions of her spectators But contrariwise the very first sight of her sweet youth and pure and fresh beauty and then the consideration of her foule crime for murthering her owne husband doe operate and worke differently upon all their affections and passions some pittying her for the first but all more justly condemning her for the second When as soone as their clamorous sobs and speeches were past and blowen over and that both the Frier and Nun had tane their last leave of her then after she had shed many teares on earth and sent and evaporated many sighes to heaven shee wringing her hands whereon shee had a paire of snow white gloves and casting up her eyes towards God at last with a faltring and fainting voice spake thus It is my crime and your charity good people which hath conducted you hither to see mee a miserable Gentlewoman here to dye miserably And because it is now no longer time for me to dissemble either with God or the world therefore to save my soule in heaven though my body perish here in earth I with much griefe and infinite sorrow doe truly and freely confesse both to God and you that I am not only guilty of one murther but of two for as I now lately cut my second husband Ferallo's throat so I was so vild wretched heretofore as to poyson my first Lord and husband De Mora. At which report and confession of this execrable Lady Bellinda in regard of the greatnes of her Lord De Mora's descent Nobility all this huge concourse of people who are sensibly touched with griefe and sorrow make a wonderfull noise and out-cry thereat and now in regard of this soule and double crime of hers they looke on her with far more contempt and far lesse pittie than before But shee being as patient as they are clamorous hereat and seeing their cries now againe cried downe and welâ—…nigh drowned and hushed up in silence recollecting her thoughts and againe composiing her countenance shee againe very sorrowfully continueth her speech to them thus I well know and indeed I heartily grieve to remember that these two foule and cruell murthers of mine make mee unworthy either to tread on the face of earth or to looke up to that of heaven and yet in the middest of these my miseries I have this consolation left mee that in favour of my true confession and religious repentance thereof to God that God can bee as indulgent and mercifull to mee as I have beene impious and sinfull to him the which that I may obtaine I beseech you all who are here present to joyne your prayers with mee and to God for mee and this is the last charity which I will begge and implore of you Now because example is powerfull no example so strong and prevalent as the words of the dying to the living therefore to Gods glory and mine owne shame give mee leave to tell you that two things especially brought and induced mee to commit these foule â—…ers as they have now justly brought mee â—…er to suffer death for committing them first my neglect of prayer and omission to serve and feare God duly as I ought to have done Secondly the affecting and following of my lascivious and lustfull pleasures which I ought not to have done The neglect of the first proved the bane of my soule and the performance and practice of the last the contagion and poyson of my life and both these two sins conjoined and lincked together enforce mee now here to dye with as much misery and infamie as without them I mâ—…ght have lived and peâ—…chance lived longâ—… in earthly happines and prosperity O therefore good people beware by my woefull example let my crime bee your integrity my fall your rising and my shipwracke your safety As I beare not hypocrisie in my tongue so I will not beare malice in my heart Therefore from my heart I forgive Roderigo for telling Gaspar de Mora hee saw mee cast some bloody linnen in the pond I also forgive Gaspar de Mora for informing the Corigâ—…dores thereof and they for so justly condemning mee to death I also pray my father parents to forgive mee these my foule crimes and both to pardon forget the dishonour and scandall which the infamy of my death may reflect and draw on them And now I recommend you all to Gods best favour and mercy and my soule to receive salvation in his blessed kingdome of glory The Lady Bellinda having finished this her speech the hearing and consideration thereof engendred much pittie and compassion in the hearts and caused a world of teares in the eyes of the beholders and now shee prepares her selfe for death Here she takes off her rings from her fingers her pearle bracelets from her armes and as a token of her love gives them to her waiting Gentlewoman Hellena who is present and not far from her most bitterly sobbing and weeping because shee can weepe no more for the death of this her deare Lady and mistris who now repeates many private prayers Ave Maries to her selfe when
by the compasse of her advice hee had undoubtedly avoyded the shipwracke of his life and prevented the misfortune of his death what to thinke of Belluile shee knowes not bâ—… if hee were her friend before hee hath now made and proclaimed himselfe her eâ—…my by killing her deare and onely friend Poligny and therefore is resolved that as shee could never perfectly bâ—…ooke his company so now this bloudy fact shall make her detest both it and him But let us a little leave her and descend to speake of Lâ—…rieta to see how shee brookes the murther of her intimate friend Poligny for sith sheâ—… assuredly knowes and believes that this cruell Murther was performed by no other bâ—… by her professed enemy Belluile or by some of his bloudy agents love and revenge conspire to act two different Scenes upon the Theater of her heart for in memory and deepe affection to her Poligny her pearled teares and mournefull sighes infinitely deplore and bewayle his disastrous end so as sorrow withering the roses of her cheekes and griefe making her cast off her glittering to take on mournefull attire she could not refraine from giving all Avignion notice how pleasing Poligny's life was to her by the excesse of her lamentations and afflictions demonstrated for his death oâ—… if her sighes found any consolation or her teares recesse or truce it was administred her by her revenge which shee conceived and intended towards Belluile for this his bloudy fact So as consulting with Choller not with Reason with Nature noâ—… with Grace with Satan not with God shee vowes to bee sharpely revenged of him and to make him pay deare for this his base and treacherous Murther yea the fumes and fury of her revenge are so implacable and transport her resolutions to so bloudy an impetuositie that resembling her sexe and selfe shee inhumanely and sacrilegiously darts forth an oath which her heart sends to her soule and her soule from Earth to Hell that if the meanes finde not her she will infallibly find out the meanes to quench and dry up her teares for Poligny's death in the bloud of Belluile which sith she is so devoyd of reason religion and grace I feare we shal shortly see her attempt and performe But leaving her in Avignion let us finde out Belluile in Aix who is a Gentleman so prophane in his life and debosht in his actions and conversations as in stead of repenting he triumphs at this his Murther yea hee is become so impious and impudent as hee grieves not thereat but onely that he had not sooner dispatched his rivall Poligny but the better to delude the world that neither his hand or sword were guilty in sending Poligny from this world in a bloudy winding sheet his thoughts like so many hounds pursuing his conscience and his conscience his soule hee thinkes himselfe not safe in Aix where the sharpe-sighted Presidents and Councellours of that illustrious Senate of Parliament might at last accuse and finde him out for the Authour of this bloudy Murther and therefore leaves both it and Provence and so rides to the City of Lyons accompanyed with none but his two Lackeyes who to write the truth actâ—…d no part in Poligny's mournfull Tragedy neither doth he yet thinke himselfe safe there but within a moneth after the Murther thinking directly and securely to flye from the eyes and hands of justice thereby to avoyd the storme of his punishment hee againe takes horse for that great City and Forrest Paris where he hoped the infinite number of People Streets Coaches and Horses would not only secure his feare but prevent his danger and that here as in a secure Sanctuary and safe harbour he might quietly ride at anchor in all peace and tranquillity but as before the time is not yet come of his punishment for it may bee God out of his inscrutable will and Divine providence will when hee best pleaseth returne him from whence hee came and by some extraordinary accident make him there feele the foulenesse of his fact in the sharpenesse and suddennesse of his punishment which as a fierce gust and bitter storme shall then surprise him when hee least suspects or dreames thereof But in this interim of his residence he forgets his new fact of Murther to remember his old sinnes of Concupiscence and Whoredome and so rather like a lascivious Courtier then a civill morall Christian hee cannot see the Church for the Stewes nor the Preachers or Priests for Panders and Strumpets But this vanity of his shall cost him deare and hee shall be so miserable to feele the punishment sith hee will not be so happy to seeke the meanes to avoyde it for now sixe moneths having exhausted and dissipated the greatest part of his gold and his credit comming short of his hopes it seems the aire of Paris is displeasing to him sith he cannot be agreeable to it and therfore necessity giving a law to the vanity of his desires he beginnes to loath the I le of France to love the Province of Provence and to leave Paris to see Avignion And now it is that the devill that subtle and fatall seducer steps in and at one time bewitching both his reason and judgement presents him afresh with the freshnesse and delicacie of Laurieta's beauty which so inkindleth and revives the sparks of his affection that lay raked up in the ashes of silence as he vowes there is no beauty to hers and if hee chance espie any faire Ladies either at Court or in the City he presently affirmeth and infinitly protesteth they come farre short of his Laurieta's delicacie perfection and grace so as his purse tyrannizing o're his ambition and his concupiscence o're his judgement he not so much as once dreaming of the implacable hatred she formerly boâ—…e him and thinking it impossible for her to conceive much lesse to know that he murthered Poligny he is constant and resolute to reseeke the felicity to live in her favour and affection or to dye in the pursute thereof but that will prove as impossible as this apparent and feasable So as absence adding fire to his lust and excellencie to her beauty he is resolute to send one of his Lackeyes to Avignion partly to returne with money and so to meete him at Lyons Moâ—…lins or Nevers but more especially in great secrecie to deliver a Letter to his fa re and sweet Lâ—…urieta and to bring him backe her answer as if hee were still at Paris and not in his journey downewards When meaning as yet to conceale his Murther of Poligny hee calling for pen and paper traceth her thereon these lines BELLVILE to LAVRIETA IF Poligny had but the thousandth part as truely respected mee as I dearely loved thee thou hadst not so soone cast mee out of thy favour nor God so suddenly him out of this world but I know not whether more to bewayle my unfortunacie occasioned by thy cruelty or his misery ingendred through his owne treachery And indeed
as I grieve at that so I sorrow at this for although â—…ee dyed mine enemy yet in despight of his malice and death I will live his friend and if thou lovedst him as I thinke thou didst I wish I might fight with his Murtherer for his owne sake and kill him for thine I may say thy affection and beauty deserved his better though dare not affirme I am reserved to bee made happy in injoying of either much lesse of both and least of all of thy selfe and yet I must confesse that if our births and qualities were knowne I should goe as neere to bee thy equall as hee infinitely came short of being mine What or what not I have performed for thy sake is best knowne to myselfe sith thou disdaynest to know it but if thou wilt please to abandon thy disdaine then my affection and the truth will informe thee that I have ever constantly resolved to dy thy Servant though thou have sworne never to live my Mistresse So that could I but as happily regaine thy affection and favour as I have unjustly and unfortunately lost it Belluile would quâ—…ckely forsake Paris to see Avignion and abandon all the beauties of the world to continue his homage and service to that of his onely faire and sweet Laurieta BELLVILE With this his Letter hee sends a Diamond Ring from his finger and so dispatcheth his Lackey who is not long before hee arrive at Avignion where very secretly he delivers Laurieta his Masters Token and Letter and treacherous fury as shee is shee kisseth both and breaking off the Seales reades the contents whereat she infinitly seemes to rejoyce and so questioneth with the Lackey about his Masters returne who being taught his Lesson told her that that depended on her pleasure sith hers was his and withall prayes her for an answer for that two dayes hence hee was againe to returne to his Master for Paris the which shee promiseth The Lackey gone she cannot refraine from laughing yea she leaps for joy to see how Belluile is againe so besotted to throw himselfe into her favour and mercy and to observe how willing and forward he was to runne hoodwink'd to his untimely death and destruction for the Devill hath fortifyed her in her former bloudy resolution so that hap what will shee vowes she will not faile to kill Belluile because hee had slaine her Poligny and already she wisheth him in Avignion that she might see an end to this her wished and desired Tragedy In the meane time she prepares her hypocriticall and treacherous Letter and a rich Watchet Scarfe imbroydered with flames of silver So his Lackey repayreth to her to whom she delivereth both with remembrance of her best love to his Master and that shee hoped shortly to see him in Avignion The Lackey being provided of his Masters Gold and this Scarfe and Letter trips away speedily for Lyons where hee findes his Master privatly husht up in a friends house expecting his returne he is glad of his owne gold but more of Laurieta's Letter when thinking every minute a yeare before he had read it he hastily breaking off the seales findes these lines therein contayned LAVRIETA to BELLVILE AS I acknowledge I loved Poligny so I confesse I never hated thee and if his treacherous insinuation were too prevalent with my credulity I beseech thee attribute it to my indiscretion as being a woman and not to my inconstancie as being thy friend for if he dyed thine enemy let it suffice that I live thine hand-mayd and that as he was not reserved for me so I hope I am wholly for thy selfe How farre he was my inferiour I will not inquire onely it is both my content and honour that thou please vouchsafe to repute mee thy equall I am so farre from disdayning as I infinitely desire to know what thou hast done for my sake that I may requite thy love with kisses and make my thankes wipe off the conceipt of my ingratitude As for my affection it was never lost to thee nor shall ever bee found but of thee To conclude I wish that our little Avignion were thy great Paris and if â—…y love be as unfeigned as mine is firme let my Belluile make hast to see his Laurieta who hath vowed to rejoyce a thousand times more at his returne then ever shee grieved at Poligny's death LAVRIETA At the reading of this her Letter hee is beyond himselfe yea beyond the Moone for joy so as hee wisheth nothing so much as himselfe in her armes or shee in his So hee fits himselfe with a couple of good horses puts his Lackeyes into new Sutes and knowing that time and his absence had washed away the remembrance of Poligny's murther he speeds away for Avignion where the first night of his arrivall he privately visiteth Laurieta 'twixt whom there is nothing but kisses and imbracings yea shee so treacherously and sweetly lulles him â—…leepe with the Syren melody of her deceiptfull speeches as she prayes him to visit her often and that a little time shall crowne him with the fruits of his desire so for that night they part The nâ—…xt day he repaires to her againe when amidst the confluence of many millions of kisses shee prayes and conjures him to discover her what hee hath done for her sake when he tying her by oath to secrecie and she swearing it he relates her that it was himsâ—…fe that in affection to her had slaine Poligny as he issued forth her lodging when having wrested and extorted this mystery from him it confirmes her malice and hastneth on her resolution of his death which his lascivious thoughts have neither â—…he grace to foresee nor the reason to prevent shee espyes hee hath still a Pistoll with him and desires to know why hee beares it who answereth her it is to defend himselfe from his enemies and that hee will never goe without it So againe they fall to their kisses and hee to his requests of a further and sweeter favour of her which shee for that time againe denyes him adding withall that if hee will come to her after dinner to morrow shee will so dispose of matters as his pleasure shall be hers and she will not be her owne but his So being surprised and ravishâ—…d with the extasie of a thousand sweete approaching pleasures hee returnes to his Chamber and shee to her malice where whiles he gluts himselfe with his hope of delight shee doth no lesse with her desire of revenge And now ruminating on the manner of his death she thinkes nothing so fit or easie to dispatch him as his owne Pistoll and so thinking shee should need her Wayting-mayd Lucilla's assistance of whom this our History hath formerly made mention shee acquaints her with her purpose the next day to murther Belluile in her Chamber and so with the lure of gold and many faire promises drawes her to consent hereunto and injoines her to be provided of a good Ponyard under her gowne for the same
Sky if not many degrees beyond the Moone so the day appoynted for her entrance and reception drawing neere the Lady Abbesse is dealt with by her Mother her Cell provided her Spirituall apparell made all her kinsfolkes and chiefe friends invited to a solemne Feast to celebrate this our new Holy Sisters marriage to God and the Church But whiles thus dona Catherina the mother and don Martino her sonne are exceeding busie about the preparation and solemnity of this Spirituall businesse don Pedro and Monfredo resolve to runne a contrary course and so to steale away Cecilliana the very night before the prefixed day of her entrance into the Nunnery as holding that Saturday night the fittest time and most voyd of all suspicion and feare whereof both by tongue and letter they give her exact and curious notice which striking infinite joy to her heart and thoughts shee accordingly makes her selfe ready packes up all her Iewells and Bracelets in a small Casket and acquainting none of the world therewith for that her brother don Pedro's chamber was next to hers and hee as vigilant and watchfull as her selfe for Monfredo's comming about midnight which was the appoynted houre for his Rendevouz when at last both their severall Watches in their severall Chambers assuring them that it was neere one of the clocke it being the dead of the night none of the house stirring but all hushed up in silence as if every thing seemed to conspire to her escape and flight then I say don Pedro issues forth his Chamber to hers where the doore being a little open and her candle put our hee findes his sister ready when conducting her by the arme they softly descend the stayres and so to a Posterne doore of the Garden where they finde Monfredo joyfully ready to receive the Queene regent of his heart assisted with two valiant confident Gentlemen his friends who were well mounted on excellent horses with their swords and Pistolls and for himselfe and her a Coach with sixe horses When briefely passing over their Complements and congees each from other they with a world of thankes leave don Pedro behinde them and so away as swift as the winde who seeing them gone secretly and softly returnes to his Chamber and bed silently shutting all the doores after him whiles Monfredo with his other selfe and his two friends drive away to Valdebelle a Mannor house of his some eight leagues from Burgos Don Pedro lyes purposely long in his bed the next morning thereby the better to colour out his ignorance and innocencie of his sisters Clandestine flight and escape So his mother about five or neere sixe of the clocke sends Felicia her daughters Wayting-gentlewoman to her Chamber to awake and apparell her to receive many young Ladies and Gentlewomen who were come to visit her and to take their leaves of her before her entrie into Gods house but Felicia speedily returnes to her with this unlookt-for answer That her Ladies Chamber doore is fast locked whereat shee hath many times call'd and knock'd aloud but heares no speech The mother is amazed hereat and no lesse rather more is her sonne don Martino so they both run to her Chamber and knocke and call aloud but hearing no answer they force open the doore where they finde the nest but the bird flowne away whereat the mother infinitely weeps and her sonne don Martino doth exceedingly rage and storme at this their afront and scandall he tells his mother he will ingage his life that his brother don Pedro is accessary to his sister Cecilliana's flight and gone with her so they both run to his Chamber but find him in his bed fast sleeping and snoring as hee pretends and they believe their outcries awake him but they shall finde him as subtile and reserved in his policie towards them as they were in their malice to his sister so he heares their newes puts on his apparell seemes to bee all in fire and choller hereat profereth his mother his best indeavours and power to recover his sister and to revenge himselfe on the villaine who hath stolne her away But his brother don Martino is so galled and netled at the escape of his sister and these words of his brother as hee tells him to his face in presence of their mother that his speeches and profers are counterfeit and himselfe a dissembler and that it is impossible but hee assisted and favoured her escape and departure for which uncivill and foule language of one brother to another don Pedro gives him the lye and seconds it with a boxe on the eare and then very cunningly betakes himselfe to consolate and comfort the Lady his mother who is not a little grieved and angry at this her second affliction and the more in regard hee did it in her presence so don Pedro reconducting her to her Chamber and leaving her weeping in company of many of their sorrowfull â—…folkes and neighbours hee then calls for his horse and under colour to finde out his sister hee rides to Valdebelle to her and Monfredo stayes there some eight dayes where being exceeding carefull of the preservation of his sisters honour and reputation hee before his departure sees them solemnly but secretly marryed where leaving them to their Nuptiall joyes and pleasures hee againe reâ—…es to Burgos and tells his Mother it is impossible for him to heare any newes of his sister And now what doth the returne sight and presence of don Pedro doe here in his mothers house at Burgos but onely revive his brother don Martino's old maâ—…e and new choller and revenge against him for the lye and boxe on the eare which hee so lately gave him For the remembrance thereof so inflames his heart and thoughts against him that hee forgetting his conscience and soule yea â—…ven and God as hee assumes and gives life to his former bloudy resolution to â—…ther him and thinkes no safer nor surer way for him to effect it then by â—…yson that ingredient of hell and drug of the Devill But don Martino is resoâ—…e in his rage and execrable in his bloudy malice and revenge against this his â—…erous and noble brother don Pedro so disdayning all thoughts of religion â—…d considerations of piety he procureth a paire of poysoned perfumed Gloves â—…d treacherously insinuating them into his brothers hands and wearing the fatall â—…enom'd sent thereof in lesse then two dayes poisoneth him so he is found dead â—…s bed when don Martino the more closely to overvaile this damnable fact 〈◊〉 his purposely gives it out that it was an Impostume which broke within him and so hee dyed suddainly thereof in his bed there being no servant of his owne nor none else that night neere him or by him to assist him and this report of his passeth currant with the world so the Lady his mother and himselfe cause him to bee buryed with more silence then solemnity and every way inferiour to his honourable birth and generous vertues because shee still affected
of the stinch thereof but they hardned by their feare and encouraged by their affection doe willingly rush towards it but cannot as yet discerne what she was by reason the fishes had almost eaten away all the flesh from her bones which therefore no way satisfying their curiosity and enquirie they then fall to wash away the mud and oze from her clothes hoping to draw some information and light from them as alas they now instantly doe for they find the Wast-coat and two Petty-coats that of ash colour serge and these of greene and red bayes to be the very same which their Daughter Marieta wore when she either fled or was stolen from them whereat crossing their armes and sending their sighes to heaven and their teares to earth this poore afflicted Father and Mother cry out that it was the dead body of their faire and unfortunate Daughter Marieta and doubtlesse that either Monsieur Quatbrisson or Pierot the Miller or both of them were her Murtherers whereat all the people admire and wonder every one speaking thereof as their severall fancies led them and as they stood affected or disaffected to Quatbrisson and the Miller But Pont Chausey rides presently to Vannes leaving the other three Gentlemen his friends to guard the Miller in his mill and advertiseth the Seneshall and the other two Iudges of this deplorable fact so they send for this Miller to Vannes and the next day being brought before them they examine and accuse him for thus murthering of Marieta but having learnt his answer and resolution of the Devill hee with many bitter oathes and curses denies it deposing and swearing that he never knew her nor saw her but this false answer and counterfeit coine of his will no way passe current with his Iudges but they forthwith ordaine him to the Racke Our wretched Miller Pierot is amazed and terrified at the sight hereof yea now his courage begins to faile him as fearing it to be the true Prologue and fatall Harbinger to his death so he endures the single torment reasonable well but feeling the pinches and tortures of the second and well knowing that his heart Ioints and patience can never endure it hee then and there confesseth to his Iudges that he was the only Author and Actor of this murther and that he strangled her in his Mill and then suncke her in his Pond because she would never consent or yeeld to be his wife but speakes not a word of Quaâ—…brisson or that hee had any way seduced or hired him to commit it but fed his exorbitant thoughts and erroneous hopes with the ayre of this vaine beleefe That when he was condemned to die here in Vannes that hee would then appeale thence to the Court of Parliament of Rennes where he knew his young master Quatbrisson then was and where he presumed he had so many great and noble friends as he should not need to feare his life But contrary to these his weake and poore hopes the very next morning when hee expected to heare the sentence of death pronounced against him his Iudges againe adjudge him to the torments of the Scarpines to know if Monsieur Quatbrisson or any other were accessary with him in this murther when they cause his left foote to be burnt so soundly as hee will not endure to have his right touched and so confesseth that his young master Quatbrisson seduced and hired him to strangle Marieta in her bed in his Mill and promised him the Fee Simple or Lease thereof to performe it that he it was who likewise threw her into the Pond and that he also beleeves she was quick with child by his said master All Vannes wonder and talke of Quatbrissons base ingratitude and cruelty towards this silly and harmelesse young countrey maiden Marieta yea this foule and lamentable murther administreth likewise talke in all the adjoyning Townes and Parishes So this execrable Miller Pierot is by the Seneshall condemned to be broken alive on the Wheele but yet in regard of the necessitie of his confrontation they deferre his execution till Quatbrisson be apprehended in Rennes where the Seneshall and Kings Atturney Generall of Vannes doe by post send away his accusation to that famous Court of Parliament where whiles hee is prauncing in the streets of that Citie on his great Horse and ruffling in his scarlets and sattins with three Lackies richly clad at his heeles the height of this his pompe and bravery makes his shame the more apparant and his crime the more foule and notorious For then when he thought himselfe to bee farthest from danger loe the Iustice and Providence of God brings him neerest to it for hee is now here by a band of Huysiers or Pursâ—…vants taken off from his horse apprehended and imprisoned by the command of the Lieutenant Criminall of that great Court who yet vainely reposing on the fidelitie and secrecie of Pierot his Fathers Miller hee seemes to be no way dismaid or daunted thereat But when he heares his accusation and enditement read that Marieta's murthered body was found in the Pond that Pierot the Miller was apprehended and imprisoned for the same and that he had confessed him to bee the Author and himselfe the Actor of this her cruell murther then I say hee is so appalled and daunted and so farre from any hope of life as he utterly despaires thereof and palpably sees the Image of death before his eyes When with a few teares and many sighes he here to his Iudges confesseth himselfe to be the Author of this foule fact and so begs pardon thereof of God for from these his grave and incorruptible Magistrates hee is assured and confident to find none Whereupon although foure of the Councellors and one of the Presidents were resolved in regard of this his inhumane and base crime to have him hanged yet the rest of that wise and honourable Senate knowing him to bee Sonne and Heire to a very ancient Gentleman nobly descended they ore sway and prevaile with the others and so they adjudge him the very next day to have his head cut off although this his sorrowfull aged Father Monsieur de Caerstainge offred the one halfe of his lands to save his life and likewise was a most importunate Suppliant to the Duke of Tremoville who then and there preceded at the Estates for the Nobility to intercede with that Farliament for his reprivall and with the King for his pardon but in vaine For that noble Duke considering the basenesse and enormity of this his inhumane fact was too wise to attempt the one and too honourable and generous to seeke the other So the very next morning Quatbrisson apparalled in a sute of blacke Sattin trimmed with gold Lace is brought to the Scaffold at the common place of execution which is in the midst of the Citie where a very great concourse of people of all sorts resort and flocke to see him take his last farewell of this world of whom the greatest part
cruell murther and robbery but the Divell is still so strong with them that with much courage and vehemency they continue and stand firme in their negative resolution and deniall But De Laurier being now found and knowne to have layen some seven weekes sicke in Adrians house aswel by the confession of Isabella his wife of Graceta her maid and of Thomas their Ostler as also of the Apothecary La Motte then his body found buried in his Orchard and Adrian and father Iustinian their sudden flight upon the same and now lastly his horse gold and jewels found upon them in Pontarlin by the officers of that Towne and his Sonne Du Pont were evidences as bright and apparant as the Sunne that in honour to justice and in glory to God from whom all true justice is derived these wise and grave Iudges of Salynes doe reject these denials of Adrian and father Iustinian as false prophane and impious and therefore that very instant adjudge them both to the racke at the hearing of which sentence they seeme to be nothing apalled and daunted but they being advertised that Isabella his Wife was likewise imprisoned for this fact she for her part by some friends of hers makes sute to the Iudges that she may be permitted to speake with her Husband and so doth father Iustinian that hee likewise may speake wirh her But the Iudges hold both of these their requests to bee vaine and impertinent and therefore flatly contradict and deny them So Adrian is first brought to the racke who though hee bee weake of constitution yet hee is still so strong in his villany as hee will not bee perswaded or drawne to confesse it but with much courage of body and animosity of minde suffers himselfe to bee fastned thereto whereof the Judges being advertised they in their discretion hold it expedient to delay his torments for a time and so first to make triall of father Iustinian to see if these his torments will make him lesse stout and more flexible in the confession thereof Wherein I write it with joy their judgements nothing deceive them for at the very first wrench of the racke God is so mercifull to his soule and so propitious to his new conversion and repentance that hee then and there confesseth this lamentable murther in all its branches and circumstances as wee have formerly understood Affirmes only himselfe and Adrian to be the Authors and Actors thereof Sweares that Isabella Graceta and Thomas were every way innocent thereof and had no hand or knowledge therein whatsoever Whereupon the Iudges send againe for Adrian and cause him a new to bee brought to the racke but first they hold it fit to confront him with his bloody companion father Iustinian who boldly affirming and constantly confirming all his former deposition to him in his face to bee sincere and true Adrian is amazed and daunted there at as also at the sight of the racke which was againe prepared and brought for him when the devill flying from him and hee casting his heart and soule at the sacred feet of Gods mercy hee there very sorrowfully confirmed all father Iustinians confession to be true and then falling on his knees hee with many bitter sighes and teares said againe and againe aloud that his wife his man and his man were as truly innocent as father Iustinian and himselfe were alone truly guilty of this foole and cruell murther and robbery of De Laurier When their Iudges asmuch rejoycing 〈◊〉 the detection and confession of these their crimes as they lamented and detested their perpetrations thereof They condemne them both to bee hanged the next morning and because father Iustinian had violated his sacred Order and Adrian the humane and Christian Lawes of Hospitalitie their bodies after to bee burnt to ashes So as soone as Father Iustinian was degraded of his Sacerdotall Order and Habit and committed to the secular powers hee together with Adrian were for that night returned to their prison and repentance where two Priests and one Fryer of the order of the Iacobyns prepare their soules for Heaven against the next morning It was a griefe to Isabellas heart to heare that he was guilty of this foule and lamentable murther but a farre greater torment and Hell to her minde to understand that hee must suffer death for the same and that she should neither see nor speake with him any more either in this life or this world Againe looking from him to her selfe as shee could not hope for his life so shee thought shee had some small cause or at least scruple to doubt and feare her owne in regard it lay at the courtesie or cruelty of her Husband and father Iustiniâ—…n for that as we have formerly understood they acquainted her with their intents and desires to murther De Laurier and shee revealed it not But yet neverthelesse in the purity of her heart and the can did innocency of her soule shee commits the successe both of her life or death to God 〈◊〉 not being able to sleepe away any part of that night for sorrow shee as a religious woman and a most vertuous wife passeth out the whole obscurity thereof in the brightnesse of heavenly ejaculations and prayer which from the profundity of her heart shee proffereth up to Heaven both for her Husband and her selfe Very early the next morning before father Iustinian and Adrian went to their execution Du Pont and at his request the Iudge repair to the Prison to them where hee and they enquire of him to what allâ—…w of gold and iewells they had taken from his dead father who tell him that in a letter which his Father had written to him 〈◊〉 â—…jon and the which they had suppressed and burnt hee therein mentioned the vallew of one thousand seven hundred crownes And being againe demanded by him what and where was become of all that great summe in gold and Iewels they freely and ingeniously tell him that one third part thereof was taken from them by him and the Officers of justice in Pontarlin and another third he should finde hidden in such and such secret places of their houses and for the other third part they â—…shed not to confesse and averre that they had since paid some old debts bought some new apparell and spent the rest thereof upon their whores and other oâ—… their voluptuousnesse and prodigalities So the Iudges and Du Pont speed away to Adrian and father Iustinians houses where they finde the gold and jewels according to their confessions the which together with the other former part taken from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both which amounted to some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and honest judges deliver up unto Du Pont who received it from them with joy and thankefullnesse but as a good Sonne rejoyces â—…rre more at the now approaching deserved deaths of these two bloody and execrable wretches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Adrian the murtherers of his good old father De Laurier of whom some twenty and five
yeares before he had the happinesse to receive his life Some two houres after which was about tenne of the clocke in the morning these our two condemned malefactors are brought to the place of execution where a great concourse of people of Salynes and the country thereabout attend to see them finish the last Scene and Catastrophie of their lives The first who ascends the Ladder is Adrian who speakes little Only he takes it to his death that his decre wife Isabella his servant maid Graceta and his Ostler Thomas are as absolutely innocent of this murther of De Laurier as hee himselfe here againe confesseth hee is guilty thereof Hee prayes God to forgive him this foule fact and beseecheth all that are present to pray to God for him and for his wretched and miserable soule the which he knoweth hath great need and want of their prayers when casting his handkerchiefe over his face and privately ending some few prayers to himselfe hee is turned over Instantly after him rather Iustinian mounts the Ladder who in his lookes and countenance seemes to bee very repentant and penitent for this his soule and hainous fact the which hee praves God to absolve and forgive him hee here againe cleeres Isabella Graceta and Thomas of this murther Hee much lamenteth that hee hath so highly scandalized the sacred order of Priesthood in his crime and person and therefore beseecheth all Priests and Churchmen either present or absent to forgive it him when repeating some Ave Maries and often making the signe of the crosse hee was likewise turned over And thus was the miserable life and death of this impious Priest and wicked and bloody Host and in this sharpe manner did God justly revenge himselfe and punish them with shame and confusion for this cruell and lamentable murther Immediately after which execution of theirs the Iudges set our vertuous and innocent Isabella and her maid and Ostler free from their undeserved indurance and troubles whereat all the Spectators doe as much praise God for the liberty of the three last as they detest the foule crime and rejoyce at the just punishments of the two first If we make good use of the knowledge of this sorrowfull history the profit and confolation thereof will be ours and the glory Gods which God of his best favour and merey grant us Amen GODS REVENGE AGAINST THE CRYING AND Execrable sinne of Murther HISTORY XXVIII Hippolito murthereth Garcia in the street by night for the which he is hanged Dominica and her Chamber-maid Denisa poysoneth her husband Roderigo Denisa afterwards strangleth her owne new borne Babe and throwes it into a Pond for the which she is hanged on the ladder she confessed that she was accessary with her Lady Dominica in the poysoning of her Husband Roderlgo for the which Dominica is apprehended and likewise hanged HOw easily doth malice and revenge enter into our hearts and how difficultly doe wee expell and banish it thence what doth thus promise or rather threaten un o us but that it is a wretched â—…gne and testimony that the Devill hath more power with â—…s than God that wee more dearly afâ—…ct Nature than Grace and Earth than Heaven In many â—…nnes there is some pretence or shadow of pleasure 〈◊〉 in murther there is none except wee desire â—…hat it should bring griefe and repentance to our hearts horrour and terrour to our consciences and misery and confusion to our soules which indeed despight of our earthly policie and prophane prevention it will infallibly both shew and bring us But to shew our wickednesse in in our weakenesse through the â—…e subtilty and treachery of Satan we think wee act and perpetrate it so secretly that it cannot bee found out of men noâ—… detected or punished of God Wherein what 〈◊〉 fooâ—…es and â—…oolish mad-men are we thus to deceive and betray ourselves with false hopes and erroneoâ—… suggestions for although men may be deâ—…ded and not â—…ee 〈◊〉 yet â—…an God bee mocked or will hee be blinded and deceived herein O no his decrees and resolutions are secret and sacred and though invisible to our eyes yet our designes and 〈◊〉 are transparâ—…nt to his For hee in his all-seeing providence reserves 〈◊〉 himselfe the manner and time how and where to punish it Aâ—… reade wee this approaching History and it will confirme as much in the lives and deaths of some bloody and inhumane personages who were borâ—…e to honour and consequently to have lived more happie and died lesse ignominiously IN the rich and popuâ—…us Citie of Graâ—…ado which Ferdinand and Isabella King and Queene of Spâ—…ine Anno. 1492. so famously and fortunately conquered from the Moores there within these few yeares dwelt an ancient Lady named Dona Aliâ—…a Servâ—…tella who was descended oâ—… noble parentage and by her late Husbanâ—… Doâ—… Pedro de Carâ—…s dying a chiefe Commander in the West Indyes shee had two children a sonne and a daughter hee named Don Garcia and shee Dona Doâ—…nica hee of some twenty yeeres of age and shee of some eighteene hee tâ—…l of staturâ—… but some what hard favoured and shee short but eâ—…ceeding â—…ir and beautifull Their mother Cervantella being not left rich by her deâ—…eased Husband did yet bring up these her two children very honoâ—…rably and vertuously and maintained them exceeding gallant in their apparell though shee clad her selfe the worse for it for their sakes Shee observes her Sonne Dâ—…n Garcia to be of a mild disposition and very wittie and judiâ—…ious but for her daughter Dominica shee sees with feare and feares with griefe that her wit will come short of her beauty and her chastity of her wit In which regard and consideration shee loves him better than her and yet beares sovigilant an eie over her actions that as yet sâ—…e keepes her within the lists of Modesty and the boundes of obedience as holding iâ—…â—…rre truer diâ—…etion to make her more beloved than feared of her or rather that feare and love by â—…urnes might act their severall parts upon the Theatre of her youthful heart and resolutions There is an old rich gentleman of that City nobly descended tearmed Don Hippolito Sâ—…vino commonly knowne and named onely Don Hippolito aged of some threescore and tenne yeares and much subject to the Gowt a disease better knowne than â—…red and which loves rich men as much as poore men hate it And this old Hippolito in the Frost and Winter of his age falls in love with our â—…re young Lady Dominica and so by the Lady the Mother seekes her daughter in marriage As for the Mother shee loves Hippolito's gold better than her daughter doth his age and affects his lands as much as she hates his personage But Don Garcia at the often requests of his sister being at last vanquished by her imortuniâ—…e soone changeth his mothers opinion and good esteeme of Hippolito and so they all three give him the repulse and deniall But his affection to this deliâ—…ate fresh young beauty makes him