placed Garrisons in the places which he had taken he took the field and pursued the English so quickly that he constrained them to fight and they had no sooner given Battail but they lost it where poor Don Allio was slain who despairing in his love had not above two hours before sent a Letter to his Mistress This happie Victory gave so much reputation to Clerio fear to his Enemie and jealousie to the Spaniard that the one fled and the other assured himself of his suspicion The apprehension of death could not give the English so swift wings to save themselves as the ambition and honour of Clerio to take them And because I shall be too long in describing the Armes the Horses the spoyles and money which the Souldiers gained it shall suffice to tell you that this glorious happy vanquisher lead the General to the fair Lozia who at one time made two superbous Triumphs of vanquisher and vanquished This fair Princess who desired nothing so much as the honour of Clerio left all to his discretion and he who had more ambition then avarice in stead of placing him in surety in some strong Hold and treat of Ransome said to him Sir fortune hath given me enough advantage over you without my searching any new subject of affliction if your Souldiers had had as much courage as you I had been very like to be in the same danger I pray you do not think that I detain you here as a prisoner of War but as one of my very good friends and in stead of Ransome I onely ask yours and your Queens favour your shiping are all separated and lost but when you think good to depart you shall command mine This Lord was so astonished at this French courtesie that after he had made a million of offers of service he extreamly thanked him and advowed that it appertained to none but Clerio to oblige the Queen and him for this unparalleld favour and after he had kissed the hands of the Princess Lozia he embarqued with a world of fair presents which were given him Whilst he makes his Voyage let us return to the King of Spain who attended for Clerio to redeliver those places which he had taken and for that purpose he sent a Gentleman unto him to treat about this affaire but Clerio who dream'd of nothing less then the rendition of them made this answer Sir I know not why the King hath so much distrust of the fidelity and affection which I have sworn to his service I think that I have given him a sufficient testimony having ruined so powerful an enemy who every day as you know desired me to joyn with him offering me the moyety of all that we should pretend to but God be thanked I never had a will to do so great a disservice to my Prince I think it strange that having had this cognisance he thinks me not capable to conserve those Towns which I have been worthy to take I cannot suffer it that taking from me the Government of these places he gives the honour of my honour to another which I have merited with the peril of my life and all my friends who I think will not depart although I pray them for their entertainment serves in recompence of the good services which they have done to his Majesty under my conduct I humbly pray you Sir to represent to the King all these rational Reasons and assure him of my most humble service This Gentleman being departed went to the King who having heard this discourse entred into councel to know what course was best to be taken some were of advice to declare war against him others to go seize on him but one amongst them who was more sage then the rest spake in this manner Sir Seeing that your Majesty hath done me the honour to confide in me I should think my self culpable of a thousand invincible crimes if I should wander from my opinion to flatter you Clerio hath done a great good to your Kingdom what subject soever hath caused him as a close Enemy that feare and peril are lesser then if we had the other who might have had continual supplies from the Queen his Mistress Clerio is in your Countrey who we can easily render odious he hath no strange alliance I plainly see that he dares not declare vvar against you attending for some slight pretence which you will put into his hands with which he will so effectually serve himself having a fair and puislant Army a quantity of places and means that he will cause a great trouble to your Kingdom and a very great weariness to your Majesty If he had once given this beginning to his design and blur to his ambition he would become so extreamly odious that your Kingdom would not suffer him furthermore his Army strengthening daily by his fortune the King of France although there is a League between you would secretly assist him This weakening of your Estate Sir would give courage to your Enemies disobedience in your Subjects and happiness to Clerio who hath already a beginning good enough Likewise if as your Servant he hath worthily served you you will do him a great affront in taking from him those places which he hath in a manner made conquest of to give the glory of his honour to another this will offend him so much that he will have a lawful excuse to make war against you You are so unprovided of men and money you ought to take this into consideration My advice is that your Majesty let things alone in the estate they are in until your Vessels come from the Indies you will by little and little augment your Army and then it will be a seasonable time to demand of him what part he holdeth Although these reasons were fair and profitable yet could they not hinder the Kings declaring war against Clerio although it was but coldly who because he would not give bad impressions of his ambition dared not to encounter with him but desired nothing so impatiently as to vanquish in defending himself which was as easie for him to accomplish as it was for a strong Man to beat a sick man who offends him more through malice then force He soon drew his Army out of Garisons and besiedged Madrid in such manner that no Victualls could be carried thereinto The people who were impatient seeing themselves among so many continuall alarm's their hands their teeth and their shops unprofitable asked for nothing more then to place these people from their former exercises to agree their Prince with Clerio and peace with their stomacks who had not digested war The King fearing some sedition or revolt was perswaded by his Councel and forced by necessity to demand truce of Clerio who dared not to refuse it least his Arms should be reputed more tyranous then just They therefore agreed on a truce for six moneths each of them designing so well whilst it should last to prepare their
business that it being ended he might easily tryumph over his enemy Clerio went soon after to see his fair Lozia being accompanied with an honourable Train who kindly welcomed him Whilst he was in this Company he resolved to make his publique wedding And for that cause he sent a Gentleman to the King to intreat him to do him the honour to be present And although he was much angred thereat yet he seemed to be glad and because he would obliege him further he went vvith all his Court Great was the resort thither of Ladies Knights and at the Kings entrance there was a fair Tragedy whose subject I will be tacent of When he was arived Lozia after many humble salutations and respectful embracements said to him Sir Although the valor and merits of Clerio render him worthy not only to espouse me but the greatest Princes in the World nevertheless by reason that he is a stranger and hath not the quality of a Prince which is rather left to us then acquired by us I know that you will think it strange that I have contracted secret matrimony with him and that reported hath gone to have been with Vincia But Sir you know that being under the tyrannical subjection of the Duke of Blantfort and honoured with the honour I had to appertain to you I could not at that time do otherwise I am glad that his fortune and courage have rendred him so great that he deserveth one of my quality and that my election be worthy of my love The King interrupting her said to her Cousin it is better to be Son of fortune then of a Prince and embrasing Clerio he said to him Cousin I will be at your nuptials and beleeve me that I make as of you that I esteem your alliance more then of the greatest Monarch in the World Clerio after he had most humbly thanked him for the honour which he did him said to him Sir Your Majesty obliges me so much to render you service that there shall not be a day in all my life wherein I shall not have the same desire I very well know that I am unworthy of the honour of your alliance and that not I alone but the greatest of this Kingdom therefore I rather hold this good fortune of fortune and your favour rather then of any thing in the World But seeing that the Heavens and you render me worthy of this good I will endeavour to render my self so agreeable and profitable to your Majesty that you shall never have cause to repent you self of doing me this Honour After these speeches the Company assembled and were assistant at the espousals of Clerio and Lozia and Clerio left nothing undon that might conduce to the contentation and pleasure of these fair Ladies Clerio was so pleased with the honour of so agreeable Hostesses these fair Ladies and the King of Spain in these delicious pastimes that the one would not have been wearied with these magnificient expences nor the other with receiving so good entertainment if the Estates had not called the King away to practise an ill office to him who had made them so welcom His departure gave such a trouble to this amorous Assembly that I cannot represent unto you the sighs and sad tears which this harsh and mortal seperation gave to the hearts and eyes of those who possessed the favours of their Mistresses nor the sighs of hope which others had of this good This is a Tragedy of Love which love himself represented whilst that they were a drying up of tears for so sad a departure let us return to Lozia who now dares call Clerio her Husband whom she before called her Knight her Servant and General of her Army This young Cavalier was now exalted to the top of fortune who but lately was but an ordinary Gentleman now he dared to claim one of the richest and fairest Ladies and Princesses in all the World to be his Lady and espoused Wife Soon after this the King prepared his Army for the field and Clerio was no whit idle in the mean time but having made fit preparations for war met the King his enemy in the field many bloody fights and encounters were daily which I shall omit but only thus much I shall inform you of that in one fight our brave victorious Champion not only subdued his enemies but hand to hand encountred the King and led him away prisoner in despight of all his enemies won the field day Clerio having the King at his pleasure and mercy scorned by that means to mak a base peace or to get treasure for his Ransom but shewing his heroick mind and disposition he freely and in safety sent him away into his own Camp But this perfidious trayterous King conceived such hatred against Clerio that he resolved to be revenged not openly but with a Revolt and secret Treason he having secretly given monies into the hands of that perfideous Spanish Nation in such a manner that one day all the places Holds and Forts that Clerio had in his profession revolted and declared against him except that which he had taken from the Duke of Blantfort the Souldiers that were garrisoned there being Gascoigns who rather looked to their honour then wealth Thus poor Clerio was taken with so unlooked for treason that he had no sooner the possession then the knowledg of his ill hap neither had he time to remedy it but only he resolved rather to die in defending himself and his Lady honourably then to yield to the mercy of his merciless enemy Lozia having had the cognisance of this ill hap was amazed at the novelty and astonished with fear not for the loss of her estate and life but for that of Clerio who she was sure was of so undanted a spirit and courage that he would rather die then let his honour die or diminish one jot in yielding himself to his enemy wherefore she made all haste possible to the place where he was she found him in a sharp dispute with his enemies maintaining with the point of his Sword and all conquering and invinsible Arm a breach which his enemies had made in the wall resolving rather to leave his life in the place then suffer any of those perfideous Currs to enter therein But Lozia's coming hindred him of his design for she so far prevailed with him that she drew him although unwillingly from the place and afterwards made such lamentable and pitiful speeches to him that he whose courage was not to be overmastered with the sword of the bravest enemies was now wholly subdued vanquished and conquered by her teares in such manner that for grief he swooned in the place she taking this oppertunity soon conveyed him a Ship-board and having provided her self sufficiently with Jewels and treasure embarqued likewise with Vincia and some others and having a fair wind presently set sail leaving the Town to the mercy of this merciless and cruel enemy The Ship had
were gone out after that manner and then they began their Dance in seven or eight different airs with a world of Characters and Figures interlaced which caused them all to admire As it was done Mars and Love fought and after a world of blows Mars perceiving his eyes wounded with a bolt which Love had secretly shot at him in stead of being daunted by so sweet a wound was rather madded and vexed that he should be thus vanquished and so fell on so courageously that coming something near him he snatched away Cupids band which blindfolding his eyes caused him to strike a many fruitless blows But Love recovering his sight the loss of which had made him so often fail took one of the sharpest arrows in his Quiver and shot it so directly that piercing the very heart of his enemy he gained his honour and his life The gods which were upon the Heavens of these Clouds quitted their divine Seat and came presently to put the band again about Cupids eyes lest this divine Archer should see to dispeople the Heaven of gods the Earth of men and that sharing in the Empire of Pluto they should dwell together in those obscure shades Jupiter as the greatest and also the most incensed of them all spake thus unto them Mortals who not being able to comprehend and dive into the reasons of divine actions offend us often by your rebellious ignorance That it may not happen to you to fall any more into this disobedience know that Love having taken its original from Heaven doth yet retain some sparks of Divinity among you earthly humanes and that you are not to give him battel but obedience If we bind up his eyes it is not to blind his sight but only make him a little more submissive and that we may set him free when any one is so foolish as to disdain and contemn so great an infant as to equal his strength to his These words ended the gods returned into their proper places and Jupiter to demonstrate his anger suddenly did eclipse the glorious Sun and in stead of light gave the company a sweet showre of rain with hail of Pearls and Sugar-plums Whilest the company was busie in the gathering of them this superbe Vanquisher receiving the Trophies and the Laurels that Mars had upon his head went to sacrifice them with his heart and liberty to the beauty and graces of the fair Lozia and kneeling unto this sacred Deity after he had kissed the border of her Gown spake as followeth Fair Princess I give unto your eyes all the honor of this glorious Conquest to whom I consecrate these Laurels as an acknowledgment of this favour and these Mirtles as the first homage after my new subjection If their sweet flames have inflamed my Soul with an amorous heat their dainty darts serving themselves with my hands have utterly extinguished it in mine enemies I hope this Mask hath not given you any mistrust of my love and beleeve what I have untertaken hath been to deceive this peoples eyes and not yours my fair Princess To which I wish that the violent flames that I have received therefrom these six moneths and the entertainment which I shall keep always ready for your service may be as continual as is my countenance which carrieth both my love and heart upon the front thereof as the most weighty testimony of the truth of my words And saying so he plucked aside his Mask to shew Lozia his face and put it on presently again for fear of being seen of others The Lord and Ladies supposed it to be some Country Gentleman and his companions thought he would tell her some tale and so without suspicion he deceived both the one and the other and continued his discourse saying Fair Princess whose Sun may it never set permit me this day to call you the Mistress of my desires and all my wills together that I may have the honour to receive the honorable quality of the most humble servant of yours which I shall esteem as great a favour as your beauty your graces and merits making you the noblest Paragon of all others give me desires and knowledg of so great an happiness swearing to you by the faithfullest oaths a constant Lover can make unto his Mistress That I will rather dye then disobey the least of your Commandments and shall honour nothing more then the flames of love and passion which your beautiful eyes have kindled in my brest If love transformed into your face animateth my heart with the sweet heat of your eyes with an impatient desire to serve you the vertue under the sweet object of your merits much more ravishing by its admirable attractions takes away with a thousand delectable transportations my will from my will to leave me nothing but the inclination to honour you for ever as the Soul of my Soul which giveth motion to my life by that of mine affection Fair goddess were I to write thy delicate loves I would not invoke as did the ancient Apollo for his divine heat but would come unto thy fair eyes to animate so effectually my spirit and my pen that my discourse may be so gravely sweet that it may delight the most delicate ears of those which read it and so learnedly grave that the most elevated spirits may highly esteem it who seek rather for the steeled points of weapons to satisfie their minds then the quaint and alluring sweetness of fair words to please their ears which is the outward bark of all unto generous spirits Princess I finish my words to give beginning to those which you shall say to your servant Clerio saith Lozia your noble spirit and your gallantry are sufficient not only to oblige Lozia but the greatest and graciousest Queen in the world to honour your love and merits I perceive my self so happy in the amorous assurance of your affections that I ten times more esteem the possession of your good grace then of twenty Realms A Lady which sate somewhat near her not dreaming of any thing less then of these Loves came nearer to hear their discourse to whom Lozia breaking her discourse said without any appearance of alteration Madam you do me a pleasure to come hither for this hour hath this same Maskman talked to me in Italian and I know not what he saith therefore I pray you be mine Interpreter and you will ease me of a hard task This Lozia said purposely that Clerio who speak perfect Italian might quckly deride her for her broken language and drive her away for shame He being of a quick apprehension knew his Mistresses intentions and so began to tell an hundred jests which so amazed this poor woman that she knew not what to do but that others did come to participate of the pleasure which Clerio seeing stole away and unmasked himself and went to his Cousin with whom he discoursed till the Dance was ended of the contentment he had received by the honour Lozia did
as fire of joy to honor at housand and a thousand amorous triumphs which you have made of the liberty and heart of this brave one Then she transformd these their amorous mortal parols into sighs and tears Vincia on the other side cryed bitterly for the loss of her Cousin and had much ado to keep her self from swooning but she knowing that her Mistress had no other comforter but her did earnestly intreat her to have patience Ah Vincia said Lozia am not I unhappy to have innocently sought for the death of him who with the perils of his life hath preserved mine from the hands of this cruel Tyrant who is the cause of my ill hap Wherefore do not I go into some corner of the world to waste away the rest of my days Vincia read a little this letter where you shall see an incredible amorous passion and these last words which serve as a prophesie for our il hap At this instant she heard some knock at the door Is not their yet enough said she what ill fortune Vincia arose and she had hardly opened the door when Lozia espying a Gentleman of Clerio's said to him my friend your Master is dead and I see him dead in dying Dead said he Madam behold a letter of his which he hath commanded me to bring to you What is not Clerio dead said Lozia No Madam God be thanked said he he was onely a little astonished at the blow and for fear you should be frighted he hath expresly sent me to you to assure you that he is well Is not Clerio dead said Lozia ought I or can I beleeve it Vincia is it possible Madam said she you have more reason to give credit to a Gentleman then to a Lacquey Then this great Princess being transported with pleasure cast her self on the neck of this Gentleman and kissed him but she soon came to herself and excused her self with these speeches Now my friend thou maist report that thou hast had a kiss of Lozia in recompence of so profitable news whereon depends the conservation of my State and then taking the Letter she read it the words whereof were these FAir Princess I think that this Gentleman will have need of confession in the other world who hath failed after his death to make a cruel homicide I had a thousand times more lamented the life of a world of innocent loves which I hold in possessing your graces and fair eys then mine whose loss would have been as honorable as happy for your service But it seems that the heavens have been willing in my preservation to witness more good then in my loss No ill bath happened unto me in this strange accident God be thanked but only my arm a little hurt which in two days will be capable to give three blows with a sword for your sake this absence is nothing else but an imperfect table of my memory which in the middle of my most pleasant and desired dotings represents the best that it can your spirit your beauties and your graces where I decipher a thousand times in a day my most divine and most amorous conceptions CLERIO Vincia led this Gentleman into another chamber to give him the collation and time to her Mistress to make these new regrets Lozia quoth she how soon an alteration hath this unlooked for news caused in my breast Vincia having spent some time with the Gentleman returned with him unto Lozia who said to him Sir I pray you tell Clerio that I am so lazy that I know not how to write to him and I pray let him not know that I was informed of his death let him send me word in what estate the Army is in if he hopes to take the town soon or no or if he needs any thing The Gentleman departed and went to his Master who had planted his Cannons in the Trench In the mean time the English executed his affairs so well that he had already possessed himself of the third part of Spain Clerio fearing that the number of places would render him so strong and his often victories so redoubtable that it would be hard to defeat him set upon his own enemies so rigorously that in eight days he constrained the Inhabitants to yeeld the Town to him because they would not be pillaged and the Duke of Blanfort who began to premeditate of his flight was so astonished at his rising to see so great a number besiege his hous that he had pains enough in the midst of so many perils to make choyce of the least and all the ambition of this poor Prince was in the ballancing of his life and honor metamorphosed in a base desire to be slave to his enemy and serve as a triumph to him into whose hands he might with the loss of his honor hope for some assurance of his miserable life These cogitations having possessed him he resolved to yeeld which he did and being brought to the Army Clerio honestly received him and having him at his side he entred as a glorious Master of the Town and Governor So soon as he had appointed a sufficient Garrison of Souldiers therein and left money to repair the ruines thereof he departed and led the Duke to his Mistress to abide her doom This fair Princess was at that time as much possessed with choller as joy to see her spouse and her enemy the one ful of honor and glory and the other of disdain and shame to whom she said these words I wonder that I see you in any other place then on a Scaffold wicked one as thou art who hast dared to enterprise on my person and practised a Rebellion in my estate but assure thy self that I will be revenged of thy perfidiousnes with so much justice and the subject which I have that I will render thee the miserablest that ever was if thou dost not between this and to morrow yeeld up all the places which thou holdest I will cruelly kill thee Then turning her self towards Clerio she said I pray take this man from my presence his only sight puts me into extream choller and above all things in the world have a care that he be strictly guarded He would have spoken but the Princess because she would not hear him went from thence into another chamber to entertain Clerio who went unto her and remained with her all that night and had remained there all his life time in such agreeable delight if Mars at his rising had not placed a sword at his side to go combate the proud English who already thought themselves Masters of Spain whose whole hopes of liberty was staid in the onely valour of Clerio who having besieged the best place which they had with forty peeces of Ordnance and 30000. footmen staid not there but eight dayes before it was delivered and thus continuing his sieges and Victories he took one by one all the Towns which the English held alwayes leaving the field free When he had
sailed a good space of time ere Clerio recovered his sences but when he had recollected himself and understood how all things had happened he much wondred at so suddain an alteration and being much angred and tormented with himself he complained against his fortune and destinies and was enraged to think that he should in so sad a condition leave his fellow Souldiers who had so bravely and resolutely defended his fortune and their own But Lozia who with her charms was at any time able to subdue him did at last so far prevail that she made him rest contented in outward appearance though not inwardly in his mind and now the ship having sailed sometime they began to consider what part it was best for them to take Clerio knowing that Lozia had so well provided for wealth resolved to spend the rest of his life in peace and tranquility and to that intent and purpose he commanded that they should sail directly towards the great River Nilus which place was then inhabited by Christians they had not long continued in this their course but they espied Land which caused gladness and joy to spring in their hearts The Ship being come near the shoar Clerio commanded the Ordnance that were in the ship should be discharged which made such a resounding Eccho in those parts that the Inhabitants flocked to the Sea side that they might understand the cause of this so sodain a novelty where they were no sooner arived but they might see our Hero and Heroesse landing and they were so stricken in admiration at so ravishing a prospect as was that of Lozia that they thought the Gods and Goddesses were come to visit them but they soon changed their opinions having had the happiness to hear the Tongues of Lozia and Clerio speak to them These Inhabitants seeing the courteous demeanor of these new come strangers offering them all their assistance in helping their necessities but they kindly thanked them These strangers being now come Clerio with all expedition caused workmen to build a fair Palace wherein he and his beauteous Lady might consummate the remaining parts of their lives which being built they passed their time therein entertaining themselves alwayes with their loves and they caused little windows to be made whereby they might have a prospect to Nilus and other Rivers and Islands there adjoyning And thus in the middle of these delights they deliciously passed away many years exempted from vanity fear and ambition receiving more pleasure in their misfortune and in the possession of so little Land then they ever had in their tryumphs victories and happy success with a world of good fortune Here was a continual Melody of Birds and all the delights that a Rural Habitation could afford Clerio would have ended his dayes in these loves if Mars jealous of his good had not raised the Turk against the Christians but honour and Religion obliged him to defend them they having chosen him for their Captain Leader This unhappy War snatched him from the arms of his fair Lozia who being extreamly afflicted at his resolution took him aside and used many perswasions to cause him not to go through with his enterprize but he considering that his honour and Religion depended chiefly thereon would by no means condescend to her desires but having given her a thousand Kisses and sweet loving embraces he departed from her leaving her to her solitudes and leaving for her comfort her Damsel Vincia who for the sake of her Cousin Clerio enterprized any thing to conduce to his happiness and good and to remove her Mistress from solitariness using all the comfortable expressions that her capacity afforded her Whilst Vincia and Lozia remained at home Clerio gave battel abroad to his enemies which added such luster to his person in that he alwayes remained Conqueror and Master of the field that in few dayes his valor gave an incredible reputation to the Christians and an extream fear to the Hearts of these Barbarians Alwayes persuing his Victory and fortune he remained Master of the field Cities and Towns were rendred to him some voluntarily some through fear and others by siege he founded Hospitalls instituted Religions and builded Churches The Christians had kept the Levant in the knowledg of God and under their authority even unto the end of the World if they had not been defeated by themselves with a foolish ambition which gave advantage to the Turks who having an unequal number soon vanquished his enemies This happened between two Lords who having like command in the Christian Army during the absence of Clerio who was gone to visit his Mistress One of these was so wicked and perfideous that he turned Turk and revenged himself on his own soul and all the Christians together This Treason was so utilious to this Barbarian and so prejudicial to ours that he easily defeated the Armies and in the midst of this disorder retook the Towns Clerio being filled with courage and despair could not put order to so confused a confusion and do he what he could he could not possibly gather together above ten thousand men who with so good a Leader performed their parts so well that the Enemy was greatly incommodated He gained one Battel where he took the Bassa and with this handful of men performed a world of gallantries The Turk seeing the courage and fortune of Clerio raised another Army of 100000 men and pressed so near to Clerio that he foreed him to fight where he and his were vanquished with victory having all the day long killed so many that their weariness was the cause of their defeat not the valor of these Doggs Clerio yet rallied 1000. or 1200 men who for his last refuge he carried to his house This Tyrant followed him besieged him and set him so furiously that if his courage by his often scouting forth had not somewhat hindred them they had taken it that very same day The next day this Turk renewed this assault and at last made a breach where the poor Princess Lozia being no less couragious then amourous kept Company with Clerio all the day on the breach and defeated as many enemies with the sweet admiration of her beauty as Clerio with the bloody blowes of his Sword But these two Lovers being in the end wearied with their ill hap went a little to rest themselves on a Bed to gain some new strength to their now feebled force in this sweet sleep they suffered the mortal Crises of their lives and fortunes for the enemy persued them so sudainly that having gained the bass Court of the Castle he would within two hours have been Master thereof But the god Cupid thinking that their shame would have been his let loose his wings and carrying the poyson with him wherein he was wont to temper his mortal darts presented it to Vincia and said to her My friend if you love so much as you ought the honour of your Cousin and this fair Princess put this