the Siege should continue I will not set down how many of these Fits of Joy and Grief he had whilst he was in the Camp neither will I Romance so much as to white down all the thoughts he had of her and all the many wise Dialogues he had with himself about her those the Reader can better imagine than the Author tell at least if he has any of the same Passion the Prince was possessed with That will make him sympathize exactly with his Highness's thoughts as two Clocks well made keep time with one another Thus much I know that they were so importunate with him that they could neither be lull'd asleep by the stillness of the Night nor diverted by the terrors of the Day They kept him company continually followed him even into the Enemies Trenches and when Shot of all sorts flew thickest about his Ears they were neither still'd by the noise of the greater nor frighten'd away by the small Among all these thoughts he did not forget those of writing to her nor had he been three Weeks away when calling to him one of his trustiest Servants he ordered him to take Horse for Clonmell and with all the privacy imaginable deliver her this Letter To the most Charming MARINDA IF I could think that Absence would have the same effect on you it has on me I should be but too happy Might I hope that it has lessened your Disdain as much as it has encreased my Love I should be over paid for all the restless hours and melancholly thoughts it has cost me But this is too good Fortune for me to flatter my self with nor is it likely that she who shuns her present Lover should cherish his memory when absent We have block'd your Enemies up won a Fort from them and daily gain more ground And O that I were as certain of Conquering you as of taking the Town But you my lovely stubborn Enemy hold out against all my endeavours All the Assaults I make serve but to shew your Obstinacy and my Weakness and help to confirm the improbability of my gaining you Yet Despair it self shall not make me give over but like a resolute General who will rather dye in the Trenches than rise from before the Town which he has once laid Siege to so after all your Repulses my worst of Fortune shall but make me dye at her Feet whose Heart I could never gain entrance to But do not rashly resolve on my Ruin but consider my Lovely Princess whether it is not juster for your Pity to indulge that Passion which your Disdain cannot destroy And so instead of proving the death of your Lover give him his Life in letting him live to be Yours S g. The Prince awaited the return of his Messenger with a great deal of Impatiency The next Evening as he came from an Assault his Man came to him and having told his Highness that he had performed his Message to Marinda he gave the Prince a Letter from her which he opened after kissing the Seal and with a great deal of Pleasure read these words To the Prince of S g. WHen I received the Honour of a Letter from your Highness I was in a great strait whether to return an Answer to it or no If I did I thought it would look like Presumption if not like Incivility In this hard choice I thought it best to err on the kinder side and rather incurr the censure of Rudeness than that of Ingratitude How little I am guilty of the latter your Highness too well knows by being witness to a discourse which I never design'd for your Ears but since it came to them I cannot recant it And though your Highness talks of despairing to take the Town I can't think you should when you know how much you have gain'd of it already But your Highness deals harder with this than you do with Limerick you 'll offer no Conditions because you expect it will surrender upon Discretion you hope that in vain for though a Traitor within takes your part and all the cunning you have assaults it from without yet these ways will not render your Highness Master of this Fort which will never yield but upon Honourable Terms Your Highness's Most humble Servant Marinda The meaning of this Letter was too plain to have any false Constructions made upon it and the Prince who saw that he must retire or engage too far had now a greater conflict with his thoughts than he had before with the Coyness of his Mistress he was so equally divided betwixt Love and Interest that they governed his Breast by turns sometimes one having the better and sometimes the other He thought however that so kind a Letter as this seemed to require an answer and therefore upon the Army 's taking the Irish-Town supposing that a little more time would render the King Master of Limerick he wrote her this answer to prepare him a kind Reception when the Camp should break up TO THE Most Charming Marinda AS our taking the Irish-Town has prepared our way towards the taking of Limerick so I hope the Surrendry of Limerick will prepare mine towards the taking that which I value above all the Cities of the Vniverse my Lovely Marinda and my hopes will be mightily cross'd if one Month does not put me in possession both of that and her She shall then see how much better conditions we 'll give her than we do to our Enemies when we shall make them accept of what Terms the Conquerour pleases to impose but my Beautious Fortress even when she has Surrender'd shall chuse her own Conditions and impose what Laws she pleases on her Conquerour Since as he receives that Title only from her Favours so will he any time exchange it for that of the Humblest of her Servants S g. In this Letter the Prince spake what he truly thought that Limerick would soon be taken for the King had sent for some heavy Cannon to the Camp to throw down the walls and a breach once made there were thousands of English bold enough to have dared all the Enemies Shot and force their way into the Town in spite of all the resistance But Fortune had otherwise ordered it for Sarsfeild with an unusual Bravery marched with a small Body of Horse farther into that part of the Country which was Subjected to the English Power than they suspected he durst surprized the Convoy and cutting them to pieces burnt them their Carriages and Provisions which they brought for the Army to ashes some of the Carriages he nailed up and burst the rest and the Army wanting them to batter the walls and the hasty approach of the Winter not giving them time to send for others they raised the Siege his Majesty went for England his Forces retired to their winter Quarters and our Prince to his Mistress I trust the Reader will not think it prejudicial to our Prince's Honour to come back without taking the Town
the Enemy both of our Country and Religion I told them 't was to him that both their Priest and I owed our safety that he kill'd the Man who hurt my Father and with a great deal of care dressed his Wound I desired therefore that for our sakes they would give me his Life These words perswaded them to leave him to me as soon as they were gone I went out to see how things went and brought him word that a great Party from the Mountains was come to our assistance and that all who set foot on our Land were killed And Madam said he shall I be the only man who goes home and carries the news of so great a defeat Or shall it be said that ever a Spaniard let a Woman beg his Life of an Indian Not of one Indian said I for you were over-powered by numbers No one but you said he should have given Astolfo his Life but since I receive it from you I 'll make that use of it I should by serving you and revenging my self of my Enemies for this loss and disgrace I have suffered I told him that since he confessed his Life was mine and that I had preserved it it was not generous to use that Life against my Country however I left him to his liberty and promised him that at Night I would send him over in a Canoe to the other side When Night came I was as good as my word and calling two trusty Men I ordered them to row the Stranger over the River telling them that his presence would be enough to secure them from the danger of their Enemies At our parting he expressed himself very thankful to me for my generous usage of him and told me that e're long he would make me a return in the mean he desired me to wear that about my Neck pulling a Gold Medal with a Chain of the same Metal I who had heard of the Spanish Covetousness gave him a large Golden Wedge and desiring him never to be my Country's Enemy or put himself into the like danger I took my leave and left him to his Fortune the Men came back before morning and brought me word that they had set him safe on shore and that all the other side of the River was covered with Men This news which they told about the Town alarm'd us and that Party which came down from the Mountains to our assistance waited to receive them some of our Scouts who rowed as near the other side as they durst brought us word that they had abundance of Canoes fill'd with Men which made us think they design'd to Land by force where the others had by Night but this was but to amuse and draw our Men that way for they had provided a great number of Planks about 20 mile higher and having lighted on a place where the River ran between two Hills and therefore could not extend it self a quarter of a Mile they made a floating Bridge and on that they passed over some Men before ours knew any thing of it they took such care to surprize the Natives that no one came to bring us Intelligence of their being Landed till some of the Planks which came floating down the River made us suspect something we sent some Scouts up the River to discover what was the matter and they brought word that the Enmy was on this side of the River Ours marched towards them as fast as they could to fight them before any more came over and having joyned Battel the first news we heard was of a great Victory we had gained over them and a great many Prisoners brought us as the proof of its being true The Indian Prisoners were kept up to feed our Gods but some few Spaniards that were taken as being the Nobler Captives were to be feasted on as it was our Custom to tye our choice Prisoners to a Tree and a great Fire being made just by the Priest was to cut off Slices from the more fleshy parts of them and distribute them about to the People to broil and eat If the Captive shewed any signs of pain or groaned at his Sufferings we counted him of a base Spirit and after burning his Body we scattered his Ashes in the Wind but if he endured bravely to see his Flesh eaten we dryed the Sinews and Bones and hanging them upon the Mountains we deify'd them and went Pilgrimages to them There were ten Spaniards brought to my Father and two or 300 Indians who were all tyed and secured by a Guard set over them the Indians to be a Prey to the Bellies of our Gods and the Spaniards to those of our Souldiers As soon as they were brought in my Curiosity prompted me to see them but very little to my satisfaction for the first I set my Eyes on was he whom I had set at liberty before I was both concerned and amazed to see him there and uncertain whether I should do any thing in his favour or no therefore I pretended not to know him till he making as low a bow as his being tyed would permit asked me did I not know him whose Life I had saved Are you he said I whom I set free but a few days ago I thought your good usage might have made you our Friend or at least your dangerous escape might have been a fair warning to you but since you are the second time come amongst our Enemies and are still plotting my destruction you shall suffer for your ingratitude and to shew how little I pity you I will go to see you Sacrificed and eat the first bit of you my self As for the danger of coming again answered he a Spaniard fears none but I was so far from plotting your destrustion that I hung that Medal about your Neck for my Souldiers to know you by I had indeed a design upon your Countrey but for you my greatest desire was by saving you and your Family to shew how much I aimed to ingratiate my self into your favour These are all but Wheedles said I to save your Life but they shall not serve No they shall not said he for since you can entertain such mean thoughts as these of me I scorn to take my Life all the repentance my attempt has brought upon me is that it has displeased you I thought to have requited you for giving me liberty and to have made you amends for the loss of your Country by bringing you to a better but since this ill success has prevented me all that I desire is to dye in your favour The way to do that reply'd I is to dye undaunted for then you shall be one of our Gods I will do so said he be you there and shew but the least sign of pity at my death and I 'll go off with such a Courage that him whom you slighted whilst he was alive you shall adore when he is dead Though in a Man's mouth who was at liberty this would have looked like
she told my Cousin she should have the Gentleman she Dreamed of she interpreted the little Archer who was on your side to be Love the Giant on hers Honour that Honour 's going over to your side and leaving her defenceless signified that your proffering to Marry her would overcome her obstinacy and the Cupid's shooting her through is easie enough to be left to your Highness's Explanation the Indian promising her success made her indulge that Love which she bridled before and brought her abroad to the Ball Marinda Madam was nor at the last Ball said the Prince Yes Sir said Diana if your Highness remembers there were two in Spanish Dress the one was the Indian the other Marinda but sure said the Prince Marinda was not not with her in my Room the next day She was with your Highness both times said Diana nay it was she whose Advice you asked in the Closet she came home that Night with all the marks of a violent Grief at something which your Highness had said to her and resolved withall never to see hear or speak to you more when she represented the Fortune-Teller she forbad your Highness to prosecute the Intrigue any farther unless you designed to carry it on Honourably and your going on with it by giving her your Company so often afterwards and the Indians 〈◊〉 averring that she was destined for you made her believe your Highness had altered your mind for the better as you know Lovers above all People are aptest to believe things will come to pass fortunately meerly because they would have it so this her belief was strengthned by the kind promising Letter you sent her from Limerick which Letter induced me too to think that your Highness had designed something to her advantage You saw what a free reception she gave you at your return from the Camp till Celadon's telling me that you were Married dashed all the Joy I conceived at the prosperity of her Amour and was very near breaking her Heart in endeavouring to gain a Conquest over her Love but when she found how difficult that was she said she would punish your illegal Passion and her own at the same time and lest a fit of Love should make her recant she put it in Execution immediately there was a Gentleman of a considerable Fortune who had seen her at my Father 's in Dublin and fallen in Love with her this Gentleman being then come to Clonmell to see her she desired him to wait on her to Dublin and I desired my Servant the Spaniard that he would accompany her thither she told me that she would rather Marry him whom she did not Love than give a longer encouragement to any unlawful Affection which your Highness might entertain for her that would have bereaved you of her for ever had not she been met by those Rapperees her Servant fell there and though she was mightily concerned for your Highness's danger yet her Vertue drew those Tears from her which she thought due to her Defender's Misfortune and might serve to make you despair ever coming into her favour again But when Celadon undeceived us by telling me that your being Married was only an invention of his own Shame and Love returned very powerfully upon her Shame that she had used you so ill without a cause and that Love which before was only supprest by her Resentments flourished now with greater vigour than before This discovery which regained your Highness her Affection lost Celadon mine and my Anger at his crafty deceit and his being the cause of so much bloodshed though innocently made me resolve on the same way to get rid of him which my Cousin designed against you that is by Marrying another and the Spanish Gentleman who had my Father's Consent coming then wounded from a Journey which he undertook to serve me I thought once to reward his Service and punish Celadon's Falseness and imagined I might do it with less disturbance whilst your indisposition kept him out of the way but Fate which they say presides over our Marriages as well as our Deaths ordered it otherwise and brought him just time enough to suspend it The Prince gave the most ample demonstrations of Joy at the setledness which this Relation shew'd to be in Marinda's Love and having thank'd the Ingenious Diana for the comfort she had given him he walked towards the other Couple they joyned Company and the Prince desired Marinda that she would compleat his Happiness by setting Celadon as high in his Mistress's Favour as himself was in hers The Beautiful Marinda granted him this request as the first demonstration of her Obedience she endeavoured it so effectually that presently she made her Cousin pardon Celadon's former miscarriage and receive him again into her favour neither did Marinda find it any thing difficult to persuade her to this for of all People Mistresses are the most forgiving indulgent Persons to those they Love and let them dissemble it as much as they please they cannot be long Angry at any fault a Lover commits unless it seem to proceed from want of Affection but Celadon not being of that Nature was soon forgiven and as a proof of it was encouraged to hope she would Vote for him The next morning the Indian came to wait on the two Cousins and told Diana that he who was in Election to be her Husband was the Spaniard whom she had been so long looking for Marinda had invited her to the Wedding and she came in a little after the Prince had deferr'd it and then seeing it put off would not discover her self to the Spaniard she desired Diana to keep him still in ignorance that when he was refused she might see how he would excuse himself to her Diana desired no less than she that it might be kept secret lest Celadon should esteem her love the less thinking that the Spaniard being owned by another made her take him for a shift this was the result of the three days Tryal and hence it came to pass that the Spaniard dejected at the loss of one Mistress was elevated by the unexpected finding out another whom he Loved better The short prorogation of their Marriages only continued till the Prince had prepared for his at last the expected day came and rewarded the three longing Lovers with the intire possession of their Mistresses The Beautiful Marinda the Ingenious Diana and the Pritty Faniaca submitted themselves to the power of their Youthful Conquerours Diana had all the felicity she could wish in having him she Loved the Indian gained not only her dear Spaniard but a Fortune with him for he that day received News from his Father that his old Enemy was Dead his Pardon taken out and with it he had orders to come home and take possession of an Estate his Father gave him the Beautiful Marinda received the reward of her invincible Vertue in Loving and being Beloved and in having gained a Prince who raised her Quality as high in comparison of what she was before as a Woman's Ambition could desire these were the Pleasures of the Wedding Day heightned by the addition of Musick Feasting and Mirth but the Night came we must like their Bride Maids conduct them to their Beds and drawing the Curtains leave them there to the full Enjoyment of those Pleasures whose Raptures none but Experienced Lovers know and the Constant ones may expect to attain FINIS